| Pachycereus pringlei | |
|---|---|
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| Pachycereus pringlei in Viscaino, Baja California Sur, Mexico | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Pachycereus |
| Species: | P. pringlei |
| Binomial name | |
| Pachycereus pringlei | |
| Synonyms | |
Cereus pringleiS.Watson[2] | |
Pachycereus pringlei (also known asMexican giant cardon orelephant cactus) is a species of largecactus native to northwesternMexico, in the states ofBaja California,Baja California Sur, andSonora. It is commonly known ascardón, a name derived from the Spanish wordcardo, meaning "thistle"; additionally, it is often referred to assabueso (or “bloodhound”), which is possibly an early Spanish interpretation of the nativeSeri term for the plant,xaasj.[3]
Large stands of this cactus still exist, but many have been destroyed as land has been cleared for cultivation in Sonora.
Climate change will likely impact the future distribution of numerous plant species, includingPachycereus pringlei, which can be attributed to alterations in precipitation and temperature.[4]
Thecactus fruits were always an important food for the Seri people, in Sonora; the dried cactus columns themselves could be used for construction purposes, as well as for firewood.[5]
Asymbiotic relationship with bacterial and fungal colonies, on its roots, allowsP. pringlei to grow on bare rock, even where no soil is available at all; the cactus has the distinction of beinglithophytic as needed. The root’s bacterial colonies canfix nitrogen from the air and break down the rock to expose hidden sources of nutrients. The cactus even evolved to maintain this symbiotic bacteria within its seeds, serving to benefit by taking it on as part of its very physical biology.[6][7][8]
A cardon specimen is the tallest[1] living cactus in the world, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2 m (63 ft 0 in),[9][10] with a stout trunk up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter bearing several erect branches. In overall appearance, it resembles the relatedsaguaro (Carnegiea gigantea), but differs in being more heavily branched and having branching nearer the base of the stem, fewer ribs on the stems, blossoms located lower along the stem, differences inareoles and spination, and spinier fruit.
Itsflowers are white, large, nocturnal, and appear along the ribs as opposed to onlyapices of the stems.
An average mature cardon may reach a height of 10 metres (30 ft), but individuals as tall as 18 metres (60 ft) are known.[11] It is a slow-growing plant[12] with a lifespan measured in hundreds of years. One way scientists have aged these cacti has been to use radiocarbon dating to test the spines closest to the ground.[13] Growth can be significantly enhanced in its initial stages by inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria such asAzospirillum species.[14][15][16] Most adult cardon have several side branches that may be as massive as the trunk. The resulting tree may attain a weight of 25 tons.[17]
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Media related toPachycereus pringlei at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toPachycereus pringlei at WikispeciesAuthority control databases: National |
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