Aboriginal Prickly-apple / Center For Plant Conservation
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Plant Profile

Aboriginal Prickly-apple (Harrisia aboriginum)

Harrisia aboriginum fruiting in habitat. Photo Credit: J. Possley
  • Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
  • Legal Status: Federally Endangered
  • Family: Cactaceae
  • State: FL
  • Nature Serve ID: 145310
  • Lifeform: Shrub
  • Categories of Interest: Cacti/Succulents
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/09/1992
Description:

Columnar cactus.

Where is Aboriginal Prickly-apple (Harrisia aboriginum) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Coastal shell mounds.

Distribution:

Gulf Coast of Florida.

States & Provinces:

Aboriginal Prickly-apple can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Aboriginal Prickly-apple (Harrisia aboriginum)?

  • Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

    Not Sponsored
    Conservation Actions
    Assigned 06/09/17

  • Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

    Not Sponsored
    Conservation Actions
    Assigned 03/13/19

  • Naples Botanical Garden

    Not Sponsored
    Conservation Actions
    Assigned 03/02/23
    • 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

    Tina Stanley
    • 05/11/2023
      • Orthodox Seed Banking

    According to a March 2023 extract of the Florida Plant Rescue Database, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden holds 6 accessions of Harrisia aboriginum totalling approximately 11650 seeds representing 6 maternal lines.

    Tina Stanley
    • 05/11/2023
      • Orthodox Seed Banking

    According to a March 2023 extract of the Florida Plant Rescue Database, Naples Botanical Garden holds 2 accessions of Harrisia aboriginum.

    Tina Stanley
    • 05/11/2023
      • Orthodox Seed Banking

    According to a March 2023 extract of the Florida Plant Rescue Database, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens holds 16 accessions of Harrisia aboriginum totalling approximately 19835 seeds.

    Nature Serve Biotics
    • 05/02/2017

    A species with a very restricted range. Only 12 occurrences are known from Sarasota, Lee, and Charlotte Counties, Florida. Threatened by horticultural collection, shading due to fire suppression, exotics encroachment, and habitat destruction.

    • 01/01/2010

    development erosion exotics collectors canopy closure

    • 01/01/2010

    100's of individuals in < 13 sites (Sanibel Island, state and federal land) total number of populations is unknown

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    Nomenclature
    Taxon Harrisia aboriginum
    Authority Small ex Britton & Rose
    Family Cactaceae
    CPC Number 874
    ITIS 195400
    USDA HAAB2
    Duration Perennial
    Common Names Aboriginal Prickly-apple | Yellow Prickly Apple | prickly applecactus
    Associated Scientific Names Cereus gracilis var. aboriginus | Harrisia aboriginum | Harrisia donae-antoniae
    Distribution Gulf Coast of Florida.
    State Rank
    State State Rank
    Florida S1
    Ecological Relationships

    Photos

    Harrisia aboriginum fruiting in habitat. Photo Credit: J. Possley

    Photo Credit: J. Possley

    Photo Credit: J. Possley

    Photo Credit: J. Possley

    Photo Caption

    Photo Credit: Shawn McCourt

    Night-blooming flower of Harrisia fragrans, sister taxa to Harrisia aboriginum and also endemic to Florida. I spent 2 hours after hours at Selby Gardens between 10pm and midnight photographing this remarkable bloom. 

    Photo Credit: Shawn McCourt

    Blooming Harrisia aboriginum captured by diligent long-time volunteers Wade and Carol Collier. They spent days watching the advancement of buds on the plants at a public beachfront location and then returned at night when the flowers appeared ready to open. They were rewarded with this beauty in bloom, as if one of the night stars over the Gulf came to Earth to alight upon an otherwise unassuming plant. 

    Photo Credit: Wade Collier
    Videos
    Ecology and Conservation of the Federally-Listed Coastal Cactus Harrisia aboriginum in SW Florida
    Newsletters
    Read More
    Pollinators
    Common Name Name in Text Association Type Source InteractionID
    Bees
    Bees Suspected Pollinator Floral Link
    Butterflies & Moths
    Butterflies Suspected Pollinator Floral Link
    Beetles
    Beetles Suspected Pollinator Floral Link

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