Sclerocactus polyancistrus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sclerocactus polyancistrus |
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Cacteae
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S. polyancistrus
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| Sclerocactus polyancistrus (Engelm. & Bigelow) Britton & Rose
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The Sclerocactus polyancistrus is a special kind of cactus. People call it by many names, like the redspined fishhook cactus or Mojave fishhook cactus. It's also known as the pineapple cactus or hermit cactus. This plant is famous for its unique look and where it grows.
Where it Lives
This cactus is native to the Mojave Desert. This desert is a very dry area found in eastern California and southern Nevada in the United States.
The Sclerocactus polyancistrus likes to grow in dry, shrubby areas. You can find it in woodlands and canyons too. It often grows on limestone rock, which is a type of stone that used to be at the bottom of ancient seas.
What it Looks Like
The Sclerocactus polyancistrus cactus has a stem that looks like a cylinder. It can grow up to 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) tall and 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) wide. Sometimes, these cacti grow in groups, forming clusters.
This cactus is covered in many spines. Each small bump on the cactus, called an areole, has several reddish or white spines in the middle. These central spines have tips that curve like a hook, just like a fishhook! Around the edges of the areole, there are more white spines.
The flowers of this cactus are quite beautiful and smell nice. They can be as wide as 10 centimeters (about 4 inches). You might see them in many shades of pink or even red-violet. After the flower blooms, a scaly, fleshy fruit grows. This fruit is usually 2 or 3 centimeters long.
See also
In Spanish: Sclerocactus polyancistrus para niños
