Home/Species/ Carpet Foxtail Cactus

Escobaria sneedii

Britt. & Rose

Carpet Foxtail Cactus

G2Imperiled (G2G3Q) Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G2ImperiledGlobal Rank

Least concernIUCN

LE,LTESA Status

Very high - mediumThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.154759

Element CodePDCAC0X0E0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

IUCNLeast concern

CITESAppendix I

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderCaryophyllales

FamilyCactaceae

GenusEscobaria

USESALE,LT

Synonyms

Coryphantha sneedii(Britt. & Rose) Berger

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

Comprised of two varieties, both of which are rare and are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The species (in this broad sense) is in Appendix I of CITES. Coryphantha sneedii is morphologically variable and there is some question to the validity of its infraspecific taxa, their boundaries, and other closely related taxa (FNA 2003b, Baker and Johnson 2000, and Baker 2007).

Conservation Status

Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x

Review Date2013-07-10

Change Date2013-07-10

Edition Date2013-07-10

Edition AuthorsPoole, J. and K. Maybury, 9/96; rev. B. MacBryde, 9/2000, rev. Treher (2013)

Threat ImpactVery high - medium

Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences21 - 80

Rank Reasons

Known from western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Threatened by poaching (Although minimal since the species is now propagated.) Development threatens some populations. Most sites are in remote, rugged areas and have minimal threats.

Range Extent Comments

Western Texas and southeastern New Mexico.

Threat Impact Comments

Threatened by poaching and possibly development (See Escobaria sneedii var. sneedii and var. leei).

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Subspecies leei is restricted to the Tansil Limestone Formation and grows only on north-facing limestone ledges, slopes and ridgetops, at 1220-1800 m elevation; precipitation averages 30 cm/year, in interior chaparral communities (USFWS, 1986). Subspecies sneedii is restricted to limestone ledges and the rocky slopes of limestone mountains in desert and desert grassland habitats; 1220-1800 m elevation; precipitation 19.7-40.0 cm/year; and grows in cracks on vertical cliffs or ledges (USFWS, 1986). For both subspecies, the limestones are generally hard, resistant to erosion, and support a sparse vegetation of low shrubs, some rosette-forming perennials, many cacti, and both annual and perennial herbs (USFWS, 1986).

Reproduction

It is suspected that long distance dispersal does not take place frequently within this species, even though it is known to occur in other cacti species, given E. sneedii's isolated low-density populations. Also, its fruits are mature in the early summer and are gone by late summer suggesting that the fruits are not a primary food source for birds migrating in the fall, and hence long distance dispersal is a minor role in explaining its biogeography (Baker and Johnson 2000).

Terrestrial Habitats

Grassland/herbaceousDesert

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN2

Province	Rank	Native
Texas	S2	Yes
New Mexico	S2	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (3)

New Mexico (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Last Chance Canyon	Lincoln National Forest	8,934
Little Dog And Pup Canyons	Lincoln National Forest	25,412
South Guadalupe Mountains	Lincoln National Forest	20,930

References (17)

Baker, M. A., and R. A. Johnson. 2000. Morphometric analysis of Escobaria sneedii var. sneedii, E. sneedii var. leei, and E. guadalupensis (Cactaceae). Systematic Botany 25(4):577-587.
Benson, L. 1982. The Cacti of the United States and Canada. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 1044 pp.
Champie, C. 1960. Escobaria sneedii further described. Cactus and Succulent J. 32: 138-140.
Champie, C. 1973. Strangers in the Franklins. Privately published, El Paso, Texas.
Correll, D.S., and M.C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas. Texas Research Foundation, Renner. 1881 pp.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2003b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 4, Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 559 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Martin, W.C., and C.R. Hutchins. 1980-1981. A flora of New Mexico. 2 vols. J. Cramer, in der A.R. Gantner Verlag, K.G., Vaduz, Liechtenstein. 2591 pp.
New Mexico Native Plant Protection Advisory Committee. 1984. A handbook of rare and endemic plants of New Mexico. Univ. New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 291 pp.
Poole, J.M., and D.H. Riskind. 1987. Endangered, threatened, or protected native plants of Texas. Texas Parks Wildlife Dept., Austin, TX.
Sivinski, R. 1993. Flora Neomexicana: Cactus confusion. Native Plant Society of New Mexico Newsletter 18(4): 1-2.
Sivinski, R., and K. Lightfoot, eds. 1995. Inventory of rare and endangered plants of New Mexico. 3rd edition. Miscellaneous Publication No. 4, Forestry Division, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Dept., Santa Fe.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1986. Sneed and Lee pincushion cacti (Coryphantha sneedii var. sneedii and Coryphantha sneedii var. leei) recovery plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 53 pp.
Weniger, D. 1970. Cacti of the Southwest: Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. University of Texas Press: Austin, Texas. 249 pp. + 64 pls.
Weniger, D. 1984. Cacti of Texas and neighboring states: a field guide. Univ. of Texas Press, Austin. 356 pp.
Worthington, R.D. 1986. Observations on the flowering of cacti from the vicinity of El Paso, Texas. Cactus and Succulent J. 58: 213-217.
Worthington, R.D. 1989. An annotated checklist of the native and naturalized flora of El Paso County, Texas. El Paso Southwest Botanical Miscellany No. 1. 56 pp.