Pelecyphora

Pelecyphores are spherical to club-shaped stem succulents up to {{convert|6|cm|abbr=on}} in diameter and gray-green in color. They branch only sparsely and only at an older age. The areoles standing on the longitudinally or transversely flattened warts have thorns in a pectinate (comb-shaped) arrangement. As we age, the thorns, then the areoles and finally the warts fall off. Between the warts, the plant bodies are initially dense and short-haired, so that the apexes are hidden.

The flowers arise individually from short furrows on the upper surfaces of the youngest areoles. They are bright purple and about {{convert|3|cm|abbr=on}} long. The greenish fruits that form after the flowers are fertilized dry out when ripe and release the black seeds into the crown wool, from which they are only washed out (in nature) after a long time.{{cite book | last1=Anderson | first1=Edward F. | last2=Eggli | first2=Urs | title=Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon | publisher=Ulmer | publication-place=Stuttgart (Hohenheim) | date=2005 | isbn=3-8001-4573-1 | language=de | pages=520–522}}

Species accepted {{as of|2023|November}} by Plants of the World Online with sections from Nigel Paul Taylor from 1986:{{cite journal | last1=Sánchez | first1=Daniel | last2=Vázquez-Benítez | first2=Balbina | last3=Vázquez-Sánchez | first3=Monserrat | last4=Aquino | first4=David | last5=Arias | first5=Salvador | title=Phylogenetic relationships in Coryphantha and implications on Pelecyphora and Escobaria (Cacteae, Cactoideae, Cactaceae) | journal=PhytoKeys | publisher=Pensoft Publishers | issue=188 | date=2022-01-21 | issn=1314-2003 | doi=10.3897/phytokeys.188.75739 | pages=115–165| doi-access=free | pmid=35106054 | pmc=8799629 }}{{cite book | last1=Anderson | first1=Edward F. | last2=Eggli | first2=Urs | title=Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon | publisher=Ulmer | publication-place=Stuttgart (Hohenheim) | date=2005 | isbn=3-8001-4573-1 | language=de | page=}}

At genus level

• The genus Encephalocarpus A.Berger has been brought into synonymy with Pelecyphora.

At species level

The following are synonyms of species now placed outside of Pelecyphora:

• Pelecyphora aselliformis var. pectinata (= Mammillaria pectinifera)
• Pelecyphora pectinata (= Mammillaria pectinifera)
• Pelecyphora pseudopectinata (= Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus)
• Pelecyphora valdeziana (= Turbinicarpus valdezianus)
• Pelecyphora plumosa (= Turbinicarpus valdezianus)
• Pelecyphora pulcherrima (= Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus)

• Pelecyphora aselliformis: Mescaline (Less than 0.00002% in dry weight) Neal et al. 1972

Both [http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/152618/0 P. aselliformis] and [http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/152234/0 P. strobiliformis] are classified as being of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, however both species are [http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php contained in Appendix 1] of CITES species (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) as at June 2013.

{{Reflist}}

• Anderson, Edward F. (2001) The Cactus Family Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, pp. 307–314, {{ISBN|0-88192-498-9}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Pelecyphora|Pelecyphora}}
• {{Wikispecies-inline|Pelecyphora|Pelecyphora}}

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Category:Cactoideae

Category:Cactoideae genera