Fishhook cactus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fishhook cacti
A fishhook Mammillaria
A fishhook Mammillaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
(unranked) Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cacteae
Subtribe: Cactinae
Genus: Mammillaria (partim)

Fishhook cactus is a common name for any hook-spined species of the genus Mammillaria. They are small cacti, usually growing up to 6-7 inches (20 cm) high, and are shaped similar to a barrel cactus. They are not to be confused with the Fishhook Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus wislizenii) of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Good places to see "fishhook" Mammillaria are the Sonoran Desert on the U.S. - Mexico border, and the Mesa Verde National Park.

[edit] Notable species

The genus Mammillaria also contains "pincushion" and other cacti.

  • Mammillaria barbata – Green Fishhook Cactus
  • Mammillaria dioica – California Fishhook Cactus, Strawberry Cactus
  • Mammillaria grahamii – Arizona Fishhook Cactus
    • Mammillaria grahamii var. oliviae – Pitahayita
  • Mammillaria thornberi – Clustered Fishhook Pincushion


Species Description: Wright fishhook cactus (Sclerocactus wrightiae) is a small barrel shaped cactus, with short central spines. Mature adults produce vessel shaped, cream colored flowers with magenta filaments. In 1979, the Service listed this cactus as an endangered species (44 FR 58868) based on its limited population size and distribution as well as its known and potential threats from collection, mineral resource exploration and extraction activities, and off road vehicle (ORV) use. Location: Wright fishhook cactus is known to occur across portions of Utah’s western Emery, southeastern Sevier, central Wayne and a small strip within Garfield Counties. It has been found on soil formations such as Emery sandstone, Mancos shale, Dakota sandstone, Morrison, Summerville, Curtis, Entrada sandstone, Carmel, Moenkopi, and alluvium. Vegetation associations include semi-barren sites within desert scrub or open pinyon juniper woodland communities at 4,200 to 7,600 feet in elevation.

Actions: On August 3, 2005, the Service announced a finding that a petition to remove the Wright fishhook cactus from Federal protection under the Endangered Species Act did not provide substantial biological information to indicate that removal may be warranted.

However, the Act requires a status review of listed species as least once every 5 years. We are electing to initiate this review at this time. A 5-year review is a periodic process conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate. A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of nay such information on Wright fishhook cactus that has become available since its original listing as an endangered species in 1979. Based on the results of this 5-year review, the Service will make the requisite finding under section 4(c)(2)(B) of the Act.