Botany Photo of the Day will have brief written entries on weekends, holidays and my vacations from April through September. – Daniel
Another thank you to Eric in SF@Flickr for sharing a photograph with us (original | BPotD Flickr Group Pool). Much appreciated!
Lace hedgehog cactus is a plant of the southern USA and northeastern Mexico. It forms part of a species group, listed by the Flora of North America as including <“E. reichenbachii, E. chisosensis, E. rigidissimus, E. pseudopectinatus, and an indefinite number of Mexican species”. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has a small factsheet with a series of images.
Spectacular! Thank you!
Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. reichenbachii - Z8 - RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. reichenbachii - min 7 degrees C/45 degrees F. A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, Brickell, Cole, Zuk
Echinocereus e-keen-o-kayree-us - from Gk. echinos [a hedgehog] reichenbachii re-ken-bak-ee-ee after Reichenbach. Dictionary of Plant Names, Coombes
This is a really cool picture. I didn't recognize it from this angle, but we have Hedgehog Cacti here in southern Arizona. In the spring, they have spectacular blooms of a vibrant reddish color that is impossible for me to describe, and I studied painting. Sacred Datura is also common here and I've always wondered what its (common) name signifies.
The Devil's Claw is probably beginning to bloom now since we've had a lot of rain so far this monsoon season. There is a wonderful Native American folktale about that plant and people collect the unusual pods.
Eric,
Great shot. These types of shots make for, what I think, are the best wallpapers: no extremes of contrast, and an interesting pattern that occupies the entire frame.
Roberta,
Sacred Datura is called such because some Native American groups used (still use?) it for hallucinatory experiences, usually as part of a rite of passage.
Loved the picture!
Beverly, thanks for adding the pronunciation. I've definitely been mispronouncing Echinocereus.
I think I had asked in a previous post about the pronunciation of Echinocereus (e-keen-o-kayree-us - from Gk. echinos [a hedgehog]) and of reichenbachii (re-ken-bak-ee-ee) after Reichenbach. Dictionary of Plant Names, Coombes. I didn't see my post. I was curious about the fact that echinoderms is supposedly pronounced ee kine' o derms. Also, if a plant is named after a person, does the name get pronounced as it is or does the Latin use change the pronunciation of the name. Several people I know named Reichenbach say their name is pronounced rye' ken bock, not re ken bak. Also, with Latin names of tropical fish, the i at the end is pronounced "eye", as in the name Pristella riddlei (pris tell a rid l eye, Riddle's tetra). Would the same rule be followed for plant names? I am not a Latin scholar, so I'm just asking.
Sincerely,
Carol
This grouping almost look like fractals!
Beautiful photo, but bad latin (I mean Greek).
Eck Eye Know Serious!