Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
{{Short description|Species of cactus}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Buckhorn Cholla.JPG
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|genus = Cylindropuntia
|species = acanthocarpa
|authority = Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow
|synonyms = Opuntia acanthocarpa
}}
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa, commonly referred to as buckhorn cholla, is a cholla native to the Mojave, Sonoran, and Colorado Deserts of North America. Along with Cylindropuntia bigelovii (the "teddy bear" cholla), it is the most common cholla found in these deserts.
Varieties
There are a number of recognized varieties include:
- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. acanthocarpa [http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CYACA2 USDA: Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. acanthocarpa]
- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. coloradensis — L.D. Benson; Colorado buckhorn cholla.[http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Cylindropuntia+acanthocarpa+var.+coloradensis Calflora: Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. coloradensis]
- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. ganderi — (C.B. Wolf) L.D. Benson
- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. major — Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow [http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Cylindropuntia+acanthocarpa+var.+major Calflora: Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. major]
- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. ramosa — Peebles
- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. thornberi — (Thornber & Bonker) L.D. Benson; Thornber's buckhorn cholla.[http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CYACT USDA: Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. thornberi]
Ethnobotany
- Early spring was called ko’oak macat (the painful moon) by the Tohono O’odham because of scarce food supplies. During this season, they turned to cacti for food and pit-roasted thousands of calcium-rich cholla flower buds.[https://nrd.kbic-nsn.gov/sites/default/files/fs_trad_knowledge_ethnobotanytalk2_mtu.pptx.pdf [1
] ] - Today's O’odham people still pit-roast or boil the cholla buds, which taste like asparagus tips.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.opuntiads.com/cyl/cylindropuntia-acanthocarpa/ Cylindropuntia acantocarpa photo gallery at Opuntia Web]
- [http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=9084 Calflora Database: Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa (buck horn cholla)]
{{commons category|Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa|position=left}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q309958}}
Category:Cacti of the United States
Category:Flora of the California desert regions
Category:Natural history of the Colorado Desert
Category:Natural history of the Mojave Desert
Category:North American desert flora