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Pediocactus simpsonii

(Engelm.) Britt. & Rose

Simpson's Hedgehog Cactus

G5Secure (G5?) Found in 147 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.893052
Element CodePDCAC0E110
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyCactaceae
GenusPediocactus
Other Common Names
Mountain Ball Cactus (EN) mountain ball cactus (EN)
Concept Reference
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.
Taxonomic Comments
Heil and Porter's treatment of Pediocactus in the Flora of North America (Vol. 4, 2003) recognizes Pediocactus nigrispinus as a species, distinct from P. simpsonii. The text says, "Pediocactus nigrispinus has been referred to P. simpsonii var. robustior (J. M. Coulter) L. D. Benson, which remains well within the range of variation for P. simpsonii. An unpublished study by J. M. Porter et al. of noncoding chloroplast DNA sequences shows P. simpsonii is less closely related to P. nigripsinus than to P. knowltonii, P. winkleri, and P. despainii." Kartesz (1994, 1999) did not mention Pediocactus nigrispinus (or Pediocactus simpsonii var. nigrispinus) either as an accepted name or as a synonym.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2013-08-19
Change Date2013-08-19
Edition Date2013-08-19
Edition AuthorsTomaino, A.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Widespread, occurring from Idaho to New Mexico. Locally abundant. Some localized threats from collecting and mining but no major threats are known.
Range Extent Comments
Rocky mountains and adjacent Great Plains; from southern Idaho and Montana, south to northern Arizona and New Mexico (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2003).
Occurrences Comments
There are 40 extant occurrences in a portion of its range (EO data in the NatureServe central database as of August 2013).
Threat Impact Comments
Horticultural collecting is a threat (EO data in the NatureServe database as of August 2013). There are local threats from mining and land-use change but no major threats (Butterworth and Porter 2013).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush, montane and prairie grasslands, and coniferous forests; usually above 1500 m elevation (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2003).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferWoodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
WyomingS3Yes
UtahS4Yes
IdahoS3Yes
New MexicoS3Yes
Navajo NationSNRYes
ArizonaS1Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
NevadaS4Yes
MontanaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
3 - Energy production & miningRestricted - smallModerate - slight—
3.2 - Mining & quarryingRestricted - smallModerate - slight—
5 - Biological resource useRestricted - smallModerate - slight—
5.2 - Gathering terrestrial plantsRestricted - smallModerate - slight—

—

Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (147)
Colorado (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bristol HeadRio Grande NF46,087
Comanche Peak Adjacent AreaArapaho & Roosevelt NFs44,158
Dome PeakRoutt NF35,716
Long ParkRoutt NF42,100
Pole Mountain / Finger MesaRio Grande NF43,863
Troublesome SouthRoutt NF47,359
Idaho (5)
AreaForestAcres
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
Boulder - White CloudsSawtooth National Forest322,653
Boulder - White CloudsSalmon-Challis National Forest139,297
Italian PeakCaribou-Targhee National Forest141,158
Lemhi RangeSalmon-Challis National Forest308,533
Montana (6)
AreaForestAcres
East PioneerBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest145,082
Italian PeakBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest90,401
Mckenzie CanyonBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest33,350
Middle Fork Judith WsaLewis and Clark National Forest81,131
Tash PeakBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest61,312
West Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest133,563
Nevada (61)
AreaForestAcres
Alta T - NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,325
Arc Dome - IllinoisHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,356
Arc Dome - MahoganyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,208
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Brock SpringHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,324
ButlerHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest39,470
ButtermilkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest19,373
Cave CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest6,145
CharnockHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,348
CooperHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,889
Copper Mtns.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest31,945
Duck Creek Mtns.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,165
EightmileHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,332
FaulknerHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,310
Fish Lake CHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,538
Georges CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest108,551
GrantsvilleHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest6,156
Hicks MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest16,334
Humboldt - Angel LkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,008
Humboldt - LizziesHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest70
Humboldt - Trout CrHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,346
Humboldt - WinchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,272
Iron SpringHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest36,737
Jarbidge - Coon CkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest866
Mahogany RidgeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest16,765
MarysvilleHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,365
Masket PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,778
Moriah - Big CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest722
Moriah - West SlopeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest14,737
North BrockHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest6,863
North SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,773
North Shoshone PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest40,667
NorthumberlandHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest22,464
Pine Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,519
RattlesnakeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest19,672
Red MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,242
ReynoldsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest7,064
Ruby - MarshHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest10,164
Ruby - SegundaHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,532
Sam's CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,869
Santa RosaHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest54,555
SaulsburyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,957
Savory MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest20,570
ShellbackHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest36,455
Snake - Peacock CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,069
SnowbirdHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,859
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
Spanish PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest31,520
StagecoachHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest7,377
Table Mtn. - Barley Ck.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,424
Table Mtn. - EastHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest87,789
Toiyabe RangeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest99,225
Toquima CaveHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest43,147
VincentiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest7,920
Ward MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,927
West SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest21,656
White Rock MtnHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest24,917
White SageHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,993
WildcatHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,565
WilhoitesHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,297
WoodsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest7,467
New Mexico (4)
AreaForestAcres
Juan de Gabaldon GrantSanta Fe National Forest8,023
Nichols ReservoirSanta Fe National Forest1,518
Pacheco CanyonSanta Fe National Forest1,012
Rancho ViejoSanta Fe National Forest3,827
Utah (50)
AreaForestAcres
0401001Ashley National Forest11,705
0401002Ashley National Forest36,113
0401005Ashley National Forest38,930
0401006Ashley National Forest7,645
0401007Ashley National Forest16,483
0401009Ashley National Forest30,378
0401023Ashley National Forest8,352
0401024Ashley National Forest12,882
0401031Ashley National Forest7,110
0401032Ashley National Forest6,471
0401037Ashley National Forest1,166
0419020Ashley National Forest355,684
Boulder Mtn. / Boulder Top / Deer LakeDixie National Forest110,690
Boulger - Black CanyonManti-Lasal National Forest23,286
Box - Death HollowDixie National Forest3,175
Bullion - DelanoFishlake National Forest14,917
Bunker CreekDixie National Forest7,474
Capital ReefDixie National Forest763
Casto BluffDixie National Forest87,466
Circleville MountainFishlake National Forest24,142
City CreekFishlake National Forest13,939
Clear CreekSawtooth National Forest7,188
Cove MountainDixie National Forest16,632
Dark ValleyDixie National Forest27,481
East MountainManti-Lasal National Forest30,705
Fishlake MountainFishlake National Forest25,217
Happy ValleyDixie National Forest14,458
High Uintas (UT)Wasatch-Cache National Forest102,398
Hilgard MountainFishlake National Forest28,389
Horse Mountain - Mans PeakManti-Lasal National Forest22,159
Horse ValleyDixie National Forest13,624
Joe LottFishlake National Forest19,826
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Lookout PeakFishlake National Forest9,195
Mt. Johns Peak - Mt AliceFishlake National Forest12,469
Mt. Um Plateau - Mt TerrillFishlake National Forest17,490
Muddy Creek - Nelson Mt.Manti-Lasal National Forest59,034
New Home BenchDixie National Forest10,513
North HillsDixie National Forest24,480
North PavantFishlake National Forest53,262
Oak CreekFishlake National Forest54,053
Raft RiverSawtooth National Forest23,969
Red Canyon NorthDixie National Forest9,973
Rock CanyonDixie National Forest16,457
SanpitchManti-Lasal National Forest29,129
Solomon BasinFishlake National Forest19,963
Steves MountainFishlake National Forest22,649
Table Cliffs - Henderson CanyonDixie National Forest19,581
Thousand Lake MountainFishlake National Forest27,267
Wayne WonderlandFishlake National Forest12,395
Wyoming (15)
AreaForestAcres
0401019Ashley National Forest6,202
Buffalo PeakMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest17,560
Deep CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest6,411
East Fork EncampmentMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest7,445
Encampment River AdditionMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest4,996
Illinois CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest6,711
Laramie PeakMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest28,608
Libby FlatsMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest11,107
Middle ForkMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest13,238
Platte River AdditionMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest7,962
Rock CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest18,874
Sheep MountainMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest17,626
Snowy RangeMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest29,660
Strawberry CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest5,880
West Slope WindsBridger-Teton National Forest143,252
References (3)
  1. Butterworth, C., and J.M. Porter. 2013. <i>Pediocactus simpsonii</i>. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. Online. Available: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 11 July 2013).
  2. 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.
  3. 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.