Ferocactus gracilis (Baja fire barrel)

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Ferocactus gracilis H. E. Gates 1933

Baja fire barrel, fire barrel cactus, fishhook cactus, biznaga colorada

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Caryophyllidae	Cacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts
Order	Caryophyllales	Includes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants
Family	Cactaceae	Succulent (water-storing) plants, often spiny
Genus	Ferocactus	From the Latin ferus, “fierce,” and cactus, referring to its heavy spines
Species	gracilis	See gracile above

About plant names...

This species is found only in Baja California, Mexico. A subspecies, Ferocactus gracilis ssp. gatesii, is found only on islands in the mouth of Bahia de los Angelas in the Gulf of California near the southern tip of Baja California.

Identification: Plants are singular, globe-shaped or cylindrical, up to 5' (1.5 m) high and 12" (30 cm) in diameter. The spine groups are a little complicated. Each group consists of a set of small white radial spines, nearly flat against the cactus, emanating like spokes on a wheel from the areole. Above this are larger, more haphazardly oriented central spines. The central spines are reddish with yellow tips, dominated by four large spines up to 2½" (7 cm) long, at right angles to each other. 3-9 smaller central spines are also present. The central spines are flattened, often curved near the tips, and minutely ridged. Flowers are funnel-shaped, red, 1½" (4 cm) × 1¼" (3.5 cm).