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Ferocactus cylindraceus (Engelm.) Orcutt

Compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassCaryophyllidaeCacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts
OrderCaryophyllalesIncludes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants
FamilyCactaceaeSucculent (water-storing) plants, often spiny
GenusFerocactusFrom the Latin ferus, “fierce,” and cactus, referring to its heavy spines
Speciescylindraceus“Long and round, cylindrical”

About plant names...

Ferocactus means "wild or fierce" cactus, and cylindraceus means cylindrical. These cacti are well protected with fishhook-like spines. They are natives of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

Identification: Plants are up to 9½′ (3 m) high and 1½′ (50 cm) in diameter, usually found singly, rarely branched. The stem has 20-30 ribs which may be vertical or spirally arranged. Most notable are the central spines, of which there are 4-7 in each group. These large spines are variously colored white, red, yellow, or brown. They have rounded or flat cross-sections, and are often curved. Each central spine is 1¾-6″ (5-15 cm) long. Radial spines resembling the spokes of a wheel appear underneath the central spine clusters. They are much smaller, almost hairlike, often white, in clusters of 15-25. Yellow (rarely orange) funnel-shaped flowers are 1½-2″ (4-6 cm) in diameter and 1-2″ (3-6 cm) long. Rarely, the flowers have a reddish midstripe. Fruits are bright yellow 1-1½″ (3-4 cm) × ½-¾″ (1.5-2 cm), and leathery.

References:

Anderson, Edward F., The Cactus Family, Timber Press, 2001, p. 327

Online References:

The Mindbird Maps and Books unofficial Mojave National Preserve site

CalPhotos

CactiGuide.com

Desert-tropicals.com

EFloras

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, Ari­zona ID is uncertain

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/1/2018 · Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center, Twentynine Palms, Cali­fornia · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (34 × 52 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Visitor Center, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, Ari­zona · ≈ 2½ × 4′ (82 × 123 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/2/2018 · Forty-nine Palms Canyon Trail, Forty-nine Palms Oasis, Joshua Tree, Cali­fornia · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

4/30/2018 · Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia

 

Ferocactus cylindraceus description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

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Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/2/2018 · Forty-nine Palms Canyon Trail, Forty-nine Palms Oasis, Joshua Tree, Cali­fornia

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Visitor Center, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cali­fornia

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

4/30/2018 · Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/2/2018 · Forty-nine Palms Canyon Trail, Forty-nine Palms Oasis, Joshua Tree, Cali­fornia · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

4/30/2018 · Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/24/2009 · Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Ari­zona

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Visitor Center, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Visitor Center, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

5/24/2009 · Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Ari­zona

Ferocactus cylindraceus (compass barrel, fishhook cactus, barrel cactus, California barrel cactus, biznaga, cliff barrel cactus, compass cactus, desert barrel cactus, golden-spined barrel cactus, le conte barrel cactus, spiny barrel cactus)

4/30/2018 · Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm)

Range: Zones 9-10:

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