Pediocactus simpsonii

Pediocactus simpsonii (Engelm.) Britton & Rose:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Ariz., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.Mex., S.Dak., Utah, Wyo.

Global Range: It occurs in E. Oregon; S. Idaho; S. Wyoming; N.E. and N.C. Nevada; N. Arizona; N. New Mexico; W. South Dakota; Montana; Kansas; Utah; Colorado; Washington.

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Plants only occasionally branched. Stems depressed-ovoid to ovoid or globose, 2.5-15(-25) × 2.5-15 cm; areoles circular to oval, villous. Spines smooth, relatively hard, distinguishable as radial and central; radial spines 15-35 per areole, widely spreading, white, slender, 3-13 mm; central spines 4-11 per areole, reddish brown (rarely black) with basal ¹/2 cream or yellow, rigid, straight or slightly curved, 5-21 × 0.3 mm. Flowers 1.2-3 × 1-2.5 cm; scales and outer tepals minutely toothed and laciniate or entire and often undulate; outer tepals with greenish brown midstripes, oblong-cuneate, 9-20 × 3-5(-6) mm; inner tepals white, pink, magenta, yellow, or yellow-green, 12-25 × 4.5-6(-9) mm. Fruits green tinged with red, drying reddish brown, short cylindric, 6-11 × 5-10 mm. Seeds gray to black, 2-3 × 1.5-2 mm, papillate but not rugose.

Echinocactus simpsonii Engelmann, Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 2: 197. 1863 (as simpsoni); E. simpsonii var. minor Engelmann; E. simpsonii var. robustior J. M. Coulter; Mammillaria simpsonii (Engelmann) M. E. Jones; Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. bensonii (Engelmann) Hochstätter; P. simpsonii var. hermannii (W. T. Marshall) W. T. Marshall; P. simpsonii subsp. idahoensis Hochstätter; P. simpsonii var. indraianus Hochstätter; P. simpsonii subsp. robustior (J. M. Coulter) Hochstätter; P. simpsonii var. robustior (Engelmann) L. D. Benson

Pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush, montane, and prairie grasslands, coniferous forests; 1400-3500m.

Comments: It occurs on powdery soils of valleys, flats, and hillsides in dry areas and on rocky soils of high valleys, mountainsides, and grasslands.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 81 to >300

Comments: 110 EO's. (Benson 1982).

Flowering spring-early summer.

Members of Pediocactus produce dry, dull-colored fruit which are presumed not to be dispersed by birds or rodents, but rather wind or water. Little variation exists within populations. These populations can be separated by distances of several miles even when there is suitable habitat. Further, dispersal within populations appears to be staggered throughout the growing season from shortly after seeds are produced in June to fall. This dispersal strategy may be disadventageous for the genus, however, populations in the genus when left undisturbed seem to be healthy with all age classes represented (Heil et al. 1981).

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

Reasons: Widespread from in the northwest south to New Mexico.

Comments: Most cacti subject to horticultural collecting.