Button Cactus / Center For Plant Conservation
Search / Plant Profile / Epithelantha bokei
Plant Profile

Button Cactus (Epithelantha bokei)

This round little cactus is covered so densely with closely appressed hair-spines that plants appear completely white. Photo Credit: Lynda Pritchett-Kozak
  • Global Rank: T3 - Vulnerable
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Cactaceae
  • State: MX, TX
  • Nature Serve ID: 149906
  • Lifeform: Shrub
  • Categories of Interest: Cacti/Succulents
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/25/1988
Description:

Epithelantha bokei is a beautiful, low growing cactus covered so densely with hair-spines that plants appear completely white. These cacti are partially submerged in the ground, with 2-3 cm of stem height above ground level (Correll and Johnson 1970). During drought periods, plants draw back down to ground level to conserve moisture. Flowers are a pale pink, very delicate and appear in July. Fruits are smooth, approximately 1 cm long and bright red.

Where is Button Cactus (Epithelantha bokei) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Plants can be found in locally dense groups on rocky, gravelly rounded limestone hilltops (USFWS 1983). Plants favor rocky, gravelly soils on flat areas (USFWS 1983).

Distribution:

Plants occurrences are scattered throughout the Brewster/Sanderson County area.

States & Provinces:

Button Cactus can be found in Mexico, Texas

Which CPC Partners conserve Button Cactus (Epithelantha bokei)?

  • Desert Botanical Garden

    Sponsored
    Sponsors Add
    Donor Acknowledgment - In the Works
    Conservation Actions
    Assigned 06/09/17
    • CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

    Conservation Actions

    • 09/09/2020
      • Orthodox Seed Banking

    Desert Botanical Garden has over 100 of these plants in cultivation and has produced 2,000 seeds from these plants. (Desert Botanical Garden 2000)

    • 09/09/2020
      • Living Collection

    Desert Botanical Garden has over 100 of these plants in cultivation and has produced 2,000 seeds from these plants. (Desert Botanical Garden 2000)

    • 09/09/2020
      • Seed Collection

    Desert Botanical Garden has over 100 of these plants in cultivation and has produced 2,000 seeds from these plants. (Desert Botanical Garden 2000)

    Nature Serve Biotics
    • 05/02/2017

    Four locations in the Chihuahuan Desert in Texas and Mexico.

    Kathleen C. Rice
    • 01/01/2010

    Threats to known occurrences include illegal collection and habitat degradation due to overgrazing and development (USFWS 1983).

    Kathleen C. Rice
    • 01/01/2010

    At this time, only sixteen sites have been documented (USFWS 1983).

    Kathleen C. Rice
    • 01/01/2010

    Desert Botanical Garden has over 100 of these plants in cultivation and has produced 2,000 seeds from these plants. (Desert Botanical Garden 2000)

    Kathleen C. Rice
    • 01/01/2010

    Management strategy varies from restriction of access to populations on private land, to none. Plants at Big Bend National Park have suffered the recent impacts of illegal collecting.

    Kathleen C. Rice
    • 01/01/2010

    Additional surveys for new or historical populations are needed, especially in Mexico.

    Kathleen C. Rice
    • 01/01/2010

    More plants should be offered through horticultural trade to reduce wild collection pressure.

    MORE

    Be the first to post an update!

    Nomenclature
    Taxon Epithelantha bokei
    Authority L. Benson
    Family Cactaceae
    CPC Number 1610
    ITIS 19793
    USDA EPBO
    Duration Perennial
    Common Names button-cactus | Boke's button cactus | Biznaga-blanca de Boquillas | pingpong-ball cactus
    Associated Scientific Names Epithelantha bokei | Epithelantha micromeris var. bokei
    Distribution Plants occurrences are scattered throughout the Brewster/Sanderson County area.
    State Rank
    State State Rank
    Mexico *FR83
    Texas S3
    Ecological Relationships

    Photos

    This round little cactus is covered so densely with closely appressed hair-spines that plants appear completely white. Photo Credit: Lynda Pritchett-Kozak

    Donate to CPC to Save this Species

    CPC secures rare plants for future generations by coordinating on-the-ground conservation and training the next generation of plant conservation professionals. Donate today to help save rare plants from extinction.

    Donate Today