A classic desert cactus gets expert-verified sighting in Arizona
iNaturalist: zogador
Native Plants
If you're ever hiking the Mojave or Sonoran desert fringe, this is the barrel-shaped, spine-covered cactus with bright magenta flowers you'll want to recognize and leave alone, since it's slow-growing and easily damaged by foot traffic.
Someone out exploring Mohave County, Arizona snapped a photo of a cactus and uploaded it to iNaturalist, a site where experts help identify wildlife and plants from photos. This particular one, Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, got confirmed by multiple reviewers as correctly identified, making it a 'research-grade' data point scientists can actually use to track where this species grows.
Key Findings
Observation was verified by community consensus to 'research-grade' status on iNaturalist
Species identified as Echinocereus engelmannii subspecies engelmannii, a hedgehog cactus native to the Southwest
Location recorded as Mohave County, Arizona, part of the species' known Mojave/Sonoran desert range
chevron_right Technical Summary
A citizen scientist documented a textbook example of Engelmann's hedgehog cactus in the Arizona desert, confirmed by experts as research-grade data that helps map where this spiny, pink-flowered native actually lives.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Echinocereus engelmannii engelmannii (Echinocereus engelmannii engelmannii) observed in Mohave County, AZ, USA
Research-grade observation of Echinocereus engelmannii engelmannii in Mohave County, AZ, USA.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Echinocereus engelmannii, the strawberry hedgehog cactus or Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, is a cactus commonly found in desert areas of the southwestern United States and the adjacent areas of Mexico, including the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Baja California and Sonora.