Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Mohave Fishhook Cactus

Sclerocactus polyancistrus

(Engelm. & Bigelow) Britt. & Rose

Mohave Fishhook Cactus

G3Vulnerable Found in 9 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.155505
Element CodePDCAC0J050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyCactaceae
GenusSclerocactus
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.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2015-12-30
Change Date2015-12-30
Edition Date2015-12-30
Edition AuthorsRoth, E., rev. C. Russell, rev. A. Treher (2015)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 300
Rank Reasons
Regional endemic known from California and Nevada. There are less than 100 occurrences. Threats include vehicle traffic, pest damage, wild collection, and development.
Range Extent Comments
It occurs in the Mojave Desert in California and Nevada.
Occurrences Comments
Twenty-three occurrences in Nevada and at least 44 occurrences in California.
Threat Impact Comments
Loss of habitat in southern part of the range due to urbanization. Not highly sought after as an ornamental, collection from the wild is a low threat but according to CNPS (2015) wild collection is still a threat (Butterworth and Porter 2013). Additional threats in California include herbivory by insects and vehicles and potentially grazing.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

It is found on rocky soils of basalt rock hillsides, limestone hillsides, and desert pavement, generally on south to southwest facing slopes.

Reproduction

Dispersed by frugivorous animals (Rojas-Arechiga and Vazquez-Yanes 2000).
Terrestrial Habitats
Desert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS3Yes
NevadaS2Yes
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (9)
California (5)
AreaForestAcres
Andrews Mtn.Inyo National Forest9,912
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
Nevada (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
SaulsburyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,957
Warm SpringsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest29,540
References (7)
  1. Anderson, E. F. 2001. The Cactus Family. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 760 pp.
  2. Butterworth, C., and J.M. Porter. 2013. <i>Sclerocactus polyancistrus</i>. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T151778A560387. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T151778A560387.en. Downloaded on 29 December 2015.
  3. California Native Plant Society (CNPS). 2015. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants (online edition, v7-15feb). California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. Accessed on Thu, Mar. 26, 2015 from http://www.cnps.org/inventory
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Rojas-Arechiga, M., and C. Vazquez-Yanes. 2000. Cactus Seed Germination: A Review. Journal of Arid Environments 44:85-104.
  7. Tepedino, V. J., T. L. Griswold, and W. R. Bowlin. 2010. Reproductive biology, hybridization and flower visitors of the rare<i> Sclerocactus </i>taxa in Utah's Uinatah Basin. Western North American Naturalist 70(3): 377-386.