Chisos Mountain hedgehog cactus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chisos Mountain hedgehog cactus |
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| Echinocereus chisoensis | |
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The Chisos Mountain hedgehog cactus (scientific name: Echinocereus chisoensis) is a special and rare type of cactus. It grows naturally in the Chihuahuan Desert. This desert stretches across northern Mexico and the south-central United States.
This cactus is often hard to spot because it forms small, loose groups. Its stems can grow up to 30 cm (about 1 foot) long. Some stems stand up straight, while others lie partly on the ground. The flowers are very pretty, growing up to 10 cm (4 inches) long. They are whitish inside, with red or purple spots near the bottom. The tips of the petals are usually pink. This cactus has yellow anthers and green fruit.
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Types of Chisos Mountain Cactus
There are two main types, or varieties, of this rare cactus. Both of them are quite uncommon.
Echinocereus chisoensis var. fobeanus
One type is called Echinocereus chisoensis var. fobeanus. You can only find this variety south of the Río Grande river. It grows in Mexico, between the states of Coahuila and Durango. Some scientists even think this variety might be its own separate species, called Echinocereus fobeanus.
Echinocereus chisoensis var. chisoensis
The other rare type is Echinocereus chisoensis var. chisoensis. This cactus grows in flat, rocky areas of the desert. These areas are called alluvial flats. It is only found in Brewster County, Texas, in the United States. All the places where it grows are inside Big Bend National Park.
The United States government lists this cactus as a threatened species. This means it needs special protection to survive. Other plants that grow nearby include creosote and lechuguilla. Creosote bushes often act as "nurse plants" for the cactus. This means they help protect the young cactus plants as they grow.
This cactus has "incredibly spectacular" pink flowers. Because of its beautiful flowers, it has become a target for cactus collectors. These collectors are a big threat to the cactus's survival. There are only about 1000 of these special cacti left in the wild.
How the Cactus Gets Pollinated
The Chisos Mountain hedgehog cactus cannot pollinate itself. This means its flowers need pollen from a different cactus plant of the same type to make seeds. When these plants are rare and far apart, it's harder for pollinators to help. A pollinator is an animal, like a bee, that carries pollen from one flower to another.
When the cactus does successfully make fruit, animals often eat it. Jackrabbits and rodents enjoy eating the fruit. If the weather is very dry, more animals might eat the fruit. Dry weather can also mean fewer pollinators are around. This makes it even harder for the cactus to reproduce.
See also
In Spanish: Alicoche chiso para niños
