Sclerocactus whipplei
Species of cactus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sclerocactus whipplei, or Whipple's fishhook cactus,[1] is a cactus (family Cactaceae) found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States.[2]: 116
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| Sclerocactus whipplei | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Sclerocactus |
| Species: | S. whipplei |
| Binomial name | |
| Sclerocactus whipplei (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Britton & Rose | |
The cactus was named in honor of Lieut. Amiel Weeks Whipple (1818-1863) the military engineer/surveyor, who led boundary survey team that identified the cactus specimen.
It typically grows in arid desert environments, often in sandy or rocky soils where drainage is good.