New Mexico Fishhook Cactus (Sclerocactus cloverae ssp. brackii)

Closeup of Sclerocactus cloverae Photo Credit: Sheila Murray

Global Rank: T2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Cactaceae
State: CO, NM, NN
Nature Serve ID: 145408
Lifeform: Shrub
Categories of Interest: Cacti/Succulents
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Sclerocactus cloverae ssp. brackii is a small, solitary cactus only 3-8 cm tall and 2-7 cm wide. It usually has 4 or 5 central spines, straw colored to brown, and the lower spine is hooked and about 3 cm long. Purple flowers appear from late April to May, and result in small, 1-5 mm long fruits. This subspecies differs from S. cloverae ssp. cloverae by first producing flowers when they are 3 cm or less in diameter (Daniela Roth. 2001). Also differs in that the reduced spination of juveniles lasts for several years and persists on plants of early reproductive maturity to as large as 10 cm tall and 10 cm across. If plants survive to such a size, they all produce typical adult spination eventually and become indistinguishable from adults of typical S. cloverae. (New Mexico Rare Plants Technical Council. 1998) In Flora of North America, Volume 4 (2003), Sclerocactus cloverae ssp. brackii is included in synonymy under Sclerocactus cloverae with a discussion at the end of the species' account stating, "Populations with all reproductive individuals maintaining juvenile morphology have been segregated as S. cloverae subsp. brackii K.D. Heil & J.M. Porter." Discussions with Ken Heil, author of both the FNA treatment and Heil and Porter (1994), indicate that he believes Sclerocactus cloverae ssp. brackii should be recognized as a distinct entity. This subspecies has been known since about 1982 as Sclerocactus gradyi, but that name was never validly published. (New Mexico Rare Plants Technical Council. 1998)

Where is New Mexico Fishhook Cactus (Sclerocactus cloverae ssp. brackii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

On sandy clay hills of the Nacimiento Formation, in desert scrub and scattered juniper communities at 5000 to 6400ft (1,500-1,950 m). (Daniela Roth. 2001, New Mexico Rare Plants Technical Council. 1998)

Distribution:

New Mexico, San Juan County, known from limited areas on both sides of the San Juan River valley. (New Mexico Rare Plants Technical Council. 1998)

States & Provinces:

New Mexico Fishhook Cactus can be found in Colorado, Navajo Nation, New Mexico

Which CPC Partners conserve New Mexico Fishhook Cactus (Sclerocactus cloverae ssp. brackii)?

The Arboretum at Flagstaff

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

Desert Botanical Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 04/07/23

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

10/08/2020

(Sheila Murray, 2008) Mark Porter has secured funding for an expanded DNA study of Sclerocactus from the Cactus and Succulent Society, and is conducting a taxonomic review of Sclerocactus in collaboration with J. Travis Columbus and Kenneth D. Heil. (Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden website, 2009)

10/08/2020

(Sheila Murray, 2006, 2008) Germination trials have been initiated by The Arboretum at Flagstaff, and are on-going.

10/08/2020

Seed collections have been made by The Arboretum at Flagstaff and the BLM (2006, 2007).