Pelecyphora missouriensis (Sweet) D. Aquino & Daniel Sánchez. Common name: Ball Cactus, Beehive Cactus, Missouri Pincushion Cactus. Phenology: May-Jul. Habitat: Grasslands. Distribution: ND west to MT, south to se. and c. TX, nw. NM, and n. AZ.

ID notes: Pelecyphora missouriensis is vegetatively similar to Coryphantha sulcata, especially juvenile plants of the latter, which most often lack central spines. However, P. missouriensis has thinner & more gracile spines overall with radial spines that average the same width from the point of attachment with the areole to the mid-point of the spine, whereas the thicker spines of Coryphantha sulcata tend to bulge where they attach to the areole. In absence of flowers on mature plants with central spines, Coryphantha sulcata has centrals which tend to be lightly recurved, whereas those of Pelecyphora missouriensis are straight.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Plants of Pelecyphora missouriensis in the flora region represent the large-sized, polyploid, southeastern US component of P. missouriensis which was published initially as Mammillaria similis Engelmann & A. Gray, though most well known under the name Escobaria missouriensis var. similis (Engelmann) N.P. Taylor.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Sánchez et al (2022); = Coryphantha missouriensis (Sweet) Britton & Rose — FNA4; = Escobaria missouriensis (Sweet) D.R.Hunt — Il, K4, Mo2; = n/a — F; > Cactus missouriensis (Sweet) Kuntze — S13; > Cactus robustior Small — S13; > Cactus similis (Engelm.) Small — S13; > Coryphantha missouriensis (Sweet) Britton & Rose var. caespitosa (Engelm.) L.D.Benson — GrPl, Tx; > Coryphantha missousiensis (Sweet) Britton & Rose var. missouriensis — C, GrPl, Tx; > Coryphantha missouriensis (Sweet) Britton & Rose var. robustior (Engelm.) L.D.Benson — Tx; > Escobaria missouriensis (Sweet) D.R.Hunt var. robustior (Engelm.) D.R.Hunt — NcTx; > Escobaria missouriensis (Sweet) D.R.Hunt var. similis (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor — NcTx; > Mammillaria roseiflora (Lahman) Weniger — Weniger (1984); > Mammillaria similis Engelm. — Weniger (1984). Basionym: Mammillaria missouriensis Sweet 1826

Links to other floras: = Coryphantha missouriensis - FNA4

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Heliophily ⓘ: 9