Melocactus intortus
Species of cactus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Melocactus intortus, also known as the Turk's head cactus, is a species of cactus endemic to the Caribbean.
| Melocactus intortus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Melocactus |
| Species: | M. intortus |
| Binomial name | |
| Melocactus intortus | |
Etymology
The Turks Islands in the Turks and Caicos are named after this cactus, whose red cephalium resembles the fez worn by Turkish men in the late Ottoman Empire.[3][4] A stylised version of the cactus appears prominently on the coat of arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
