Melocactus curvispinus
Pfeiff.
Cactaceae
Cactus caesius (H.L.Wendl.) Britton & Rose
Cactus maxonii Rose
Cactus oaxacensis Britton & Rose
Cactus obtusipetalus (Lem.) Britton & Rose
Cactus ruestii (K.Schum.) Britton & Rose
Cactus salvador (L.Murillo) Britton & Rose
Melocactus amoenus Hoffmanns.
Melocactus brongnartii Hildm.
Melocactus caesius H.L.Wendl.
Melocactus cephalenoplus Lem.
Melocactus crassicostatus Lem.
Melocactus dawsonii Bravo
Melocactus delessertianus Lem. ex Labour.
Melocactus griseus H.L.Wendl. ex Miq.
Melocactus guatemalensis Gürke & Eichlam
Melocactus guitarti León
Melocactus holguinensis Areces
Melocactus humilis Suringar
Melocactus jakusii Mészáros
Melocactus koolwijkianus Suringar
Melocactus lobelii Valck.Sur.
Melocactus loboguerreroi Cárdenas
Melocactus maxonii (Gürke) Gürke
Melocactus monvilleanus Miq.
Melocactus oaxacensis (Britton & Rose) Backeb.
Melocactus obtusipetalus Lem.
Melocactus rubens Miq.
Melocactus ruestii K.Schum.
Melocactus salvador L.Murillo
Common Name:
General Information
Melocactus curvispinus is a spiny, evergreen depressed-globose to very shortly cylindrical cactus, producing a single stem that can be 6 - 30cm tall and 8 - 27cm in diameter. Flowers are produced in a cephalium, a perennial structure that is usually up to 4cm high and 7cm in diameter (exceptionally up to 20cm high and 11cm in diameter) that develops atop the adult cactus
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. The fruits are much appreciated as a wild food in Guatemala[
1996- Title
- Las Cactáceae de Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Véliz M.E.
- Publisher
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 99922-2-551-3
- Description
-
]. The plant is grown as an ornamental in gardens.
Melocactus curvispinus has an extremely large range and is very abundant in the southern parts of its range. However, there are significant threats in the northern parts of its range. Some of the subspecies, especially in the
northern parts of the range, would probably be listed as threatened because of their small ranges, small
population sizes, and ongoing threats. Overall, however, the plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
1997- Title
- The genus Melocactus (Cactaceae) in Central and South America
- Publication
- Bradleya 9, 1991 pp 1-80
- Author
- Taylor N.P.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
Range
S. America - Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala to southern Mexico; Caribbean - Cuba
Habitat
Dry, rocky places, sandy dunes, sea cliffs and inland, deciduous forest, growing on various substrates including acidic and basic rocks, lava, gavelly soils etc; at elevations up to 1,500 metres[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
,
1997- Title
- The genus Melocactus (Cactaceae) in Central and South America
- Publication
- Bradleya 9, 1991 pp 1-80
- Author
- Taylor N.P.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Perennial |
| Height | 0.20 m |
| Pollinators | Humming Birds, Bees, Autgamous |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Melocactus curvispinus is found in arid and semi-arid lands of tropical and subtropical zones at elevations up to 1,250 metres[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Edible Uses
The stems are used to make candy[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. Cubes of the plant's flesh are cooked in a concentrated sugary solution and turned into sweets - the cactus merely acts as a vehicle for the sugary flavour[
1997- Title
- The genus Melocactus (Cactaceae) in Central and South America
- Publication
- Bradleya 9, 1991 pp 1-80
- Author
- Taylor N.P.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]
Fruit - raw[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
]. A pleasant taste[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
,
1996- Title
- Las Cactáceae de Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Véliz M.E.
- Publisher
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 99922-2-551-3
- Description
-
]. The bright red to deep magenta fruit is usually 18 - 40mm long (exceptionally to 60mm) and 8 - 16mm in diameter[
1997- Title
- The genus Melocactus (Cactaceae) in Central and South America
- Publication
- Bradleya 9, 1991 pp 1-80
- Author
- Taylor N.P.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Medicinal
The plant is used in medicinal drinks[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. No more information
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
