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407.0000 Family Cactaceae Juss.; Gen. Pl. [Jussieu] 310 (1789), nom. cons.
ca. 140-170 genera (circumscription still very much in flux), ca. 1700-1800 spp. Latest phylogeny: de Vos et al. (2025). There has been excessive splitting, leading to over 3000 species in some collectors view. It should be good practice in the future that each ´new species´ description is confirmed by molecular genetics, not only by morphology.
Species listed in database: 1840; hybrids: 80
= Cereaceae DC. & Spreng.(transl.Jameson); Elem. Philos. Pl. 142 (1821)
= Mammillariaceae D.L.Fu; Amer. J. Agric. Forest. 12(5): 352 (2024)
= Nopaleaceae E.Schmid & Curtman; Pflanzenreich [Petermann] 2: 135 (1856)
= Opuntiaceae Desv.; Dict. Rais. Bot. 52, 385 (1817)
407.6315 Genus Echinocactus Link & Otto; Verh. Vereins Beförd. Gartenbaues Königl. Preuss. Staaten 3: 420 (1827)
Distribution: Mexico, SW-USA
Species listed in database: 5; hybrids: 1
= Echinofossulocactus Lawr.; Gard. Mag. & Reg. Rural Domest. Improv. 17: 317 (1841)
= Emorycactus Doweld; Succulenta (Netherlands) 75(6): 270 (1996)
= Homalocephala Britton & Rose; Cactaceae [Britton & Rose] 3: 181 (1922)
= Meyerocactus Doweld; Succulenta (Netherlands) 75(6): 271 (1996)
species :
Echinocactus horizonthalonius Lem.; Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 19 (1839)
subspecies :
subsp. horizonthalonius
Name: Blue Barrel Cactus, Devil´s Head Cactus, Eagle-Claw Cactus, Mancacaballo, Mancamula, Melon cactus, Nichol´s Turk´s-head Cactus, Turk´s-cap Cactus, Turk´s-head Cactus, Viznaga Meloncillo
Distribution: USA (W-Texas, S-New Mexico); Mexico (Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Ciudad de Mexico, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Mexico State, Nuevo León, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)
77 USA 79 MEX
Synonyms: hidden
= Echinocactus equitans Scheidw.; Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 6: 88 (1839)
= Echinocactus horizontalis C.F.Först.; Handb. Cacteenk. [Förster] 327 (1846), orth. var.
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius f. centrispinus (Engelm.) Schelle; Kakteen [Schelle] 186 (1926)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius f. curvispinus (Salm-Dyck) Schelle; Handb. Kakteenkult. 146 (1907)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius f. obscurispinus (Rud.Mey.) Schelle; Kakteen [Schelle] 186 (1926)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius subsp. jarmilae Halda & Horáček; Acta Mus. Richnov., Sect. Nat. 7(1): 34 (2000)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. centrispinus Engelm.; Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 276 (1856)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. curvispinus Salm-Dyck; Cact. Hort. Dyck. [1849 ed.]: 146 (1850)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. equitans Schmoll; Cat. [Schmoll] 1947: p. ? (1947)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. laticostatus Schmoll; Cat. [Schmoll] 1947: p. ? (1947)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. obscurispinus Rud.Mey.; Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 21: 181 (1911)
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. subikii Staník & Dráb; Cactaceae etc. 8: 8 (1998)
= Echinocactus laticostatus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow; Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5, no. 3), Bot. [Whipple]: 32 (1856)
= Echinocactus pachycornis Muehlenpf.; Allg. Gartenzeitung [Otto & Dietrich] 14: 371 (1846)
= Melocactus intricatus Link & Otto; Verh. Vereins Beförd. Gartenbaues Königl. Preuss. Staaten 3: t. 24 (1827)
= Meyerocactus horizonthalonius (Lem.) Doweld; Succulenta (Netherlands) 75(6): 271 (1996)
= Notocactus intricatus (Link & Otto) Herter; Cactus (Paris) 42: 120 (1954)
subspecies :
subsp. australis M.A.Baker; Diversity (Basel) 14-1020: 11 (2022)
Distribution: Mexico (Guanajuato)
79 MEX
subspecies :
subsp. nicholii (L.D.Benson) U.Guzmán; Cactaceae Syst. Init. 16: 17 (2003)
Distribution: USA (S-Arizona); Mexico (NW-Sonora)
76 USA 79 MEX
Synonyms: hidden
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. nicholii L.D.Benson; Cacti Ariz., ed. 3: 23 (1969)
= Meyerocactus horizonthalonius subsp. nicholii (L.D.Benson) Doweld; Sukkulenty (Moscow) 1999(1): 27 (1999)
species :
Echinocactus parryi Engelm.; Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 276 (1857)
Distribution: Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora)
79 MEX
Synonyms: hidden
= Emorycactus parryi (Engelm.) Doweld; Succulenta (Netherlands) 75(6): 270 (1996)
= Homalocephala parryi (Engelm.) Vargas & Bárcenas; PhytoKeys 111: 49 (2018)
species :
Echinocactus platyacanthus Link & Otto; Verh. Vereins Beförd. Gartenbaues Königl. Preuss. Staaten 3: 423 (1827)
Name: Biznaga de Dulce, Biznaga Gigante, Giant Barrel Cactus, Giant Viznaga, Large Barrel Cactus
Distribution: Mexico (Coahuila, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Zacatecas)
79 MEX
Synonyms: hidden
= Echinocactus arachnoideus Scheidw.; Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 6: 90 (1839)
= Echinocactus aulacogonus Lem.; Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 14 (1839)
= Echinocactus aulacogonus var. diacopaulax Lem.; Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 15 (1839)
= Echinocactus edulis Haage ex C.F.Först.; Handb. Cacteenk. [Förster] 346 (1846), nom. inval.
= Echinocactus ghiesbreghtianus Lem.; Hort. Universel 1: 227 (1839)
= Echinocactus grandis f. polycormus Ríha & Tabasco; Kaktusy (Brno) 33: 81 (1997)
= Echinocactus grandis Rose; Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 10: 126 (1906)
= Echinocactus grandis subsp. polycormus Ríha & Tabasco; Kaktusy (Brno) 33: 81 (1997)
= Echinocactus helophorus Lem.; Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 12 (1839)
= Echinocactus helophorus var. laevior Lem.; Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 13 (1839)
= Echinocactus helophorus var. longifossulatus Lem.; Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 13 (1839)
= Echinocactus ingens f. aulocogonus (Lem.) Schelle; Kakteen [Schelle] 189 (1926)
= Echinocactus ingens f. helophorus (Lem.) Schelle; Handb. Kakteenkult. 149 (1907)
= Echinocactus ingens f. saltillensis (Poselg.) Schelle; Handb. Kakteenkult. 149 (1907)
= Echinocactus ingens f. viznaga (Hook.) Voss; Vilm. Blumengärtn. ed. 3 [Siebert & Voss], 1: 372 (1894)
= Echinocactus ingens var. grandis Speg.; Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 17: 116 (1907)
= Echinocactus ingens var. helophorus (Lem.) K.Schum.; Gesamtbeschr. Kakt. 317 (1898)
= Echinocactus ingens var. saltillensis (Poselg.) K.Schum.; Gesamtbeschr. Kakt. 317 (1898)
= Echinocactus ingens var. subinermis K.Schum.; Gesamtbeschr. Kakt. 317 (1898)
= Echinocactus ingens var. viznaga (Hook.) K.Schum.; Gesamtbeschr. Kakt. 317 (1898)
= Echinocactus ingens Zucc. ex Pfeiff.; Enum. Diagn. Cact. 54 (1837)
= Echinocactus irroratus Scheidw.; Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 6: 90 (1839)
= Echinocactus karwinskii Zucc. ex Labour.; Monogr. Cact. 193 (1837)
= Echinocactus karwinskii Zucc. ex Pfeiff.; Enum. Diagn. Cact. 50 (1837)
= Echinocactus macracanthus de Vriese; Tijdschr. Natuurl. Gesch. Physiol. 6: 49 (1839)
= Echinocactus minax Lem.; Cact. Aliq. Nov. 18 (1838)
= Echinocactus minax var. laevior Lem.; Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 86 (1839)
= Echinocactus oligacanthus Mart. ex Pfeiff.; Enum. Diagn. Cact. 53 (1837)
= Echinocactus palmeri Rose; Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 290 (1909)
= Echinocactus platyacanthus f. grandis (Rose) Bravo; Cact. Suc. Mex. 25(3): 64 (1980)
= Echinocactus platyacanthus f. visnaga (Hook.) Bravo; Cact. Suc. Mex. 25(3): 65 (1980)
= Echinocactus platyacanthus var. grandis (Rose) Krainz
= Echinocactus platyacanthus var. palmeri (Rose) H.P.Kelsey & Dayton; Standard. Pl. Names, ed. 2: 70 (1942)
= Echinocactus platyceras Lem.; Cact. Aliq. Nov. 19 (1838)
= Echinocactus platyceras var. laevior C.F.Först.; Handb. Cacteenk. [Förster] 325 (1846)
= Echinocactus platyceras var. minax Salm-Dyck ex C.F.Först; Handb. Cacteenk. [Förster] 324 (1846)
= Echinocactus saltillensis Poselg.; Allg. Gartenzeitung [Otto & Dietrich] 21: 101 (1853)
= Echinocactus tuberculatus Link & Otto; Verh. Vereins Beförd. Gartenbaues Königl. Preuss. Staaten 3: 425 (1827)
= Echinocactus tuberculatus var. spiralis DC.; Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. 17: 115 (1828)
= Echinocactus visnaga Hook.; Ill. Lond. News (1846), ex Bot. Mag., t. 4559 (1851), orth. var.
= Echinocactus viznaga Hook.; Gard. Chron. 1845: 133 (1845)
= Echinofossulocactus helophorus (Lem.) Lawr.; Gard. Mag. (London) 17: 318 (1841)
= Echinofossulocactus helophorus var. longifossulatus Lawr.; Gard. Mag. & Reg. Rural Domest. Improv. 17: 318 (1841)
= Echinofossulocactus karwinskianus Lawr.; Gard. Mag. (London) 17: 318 (1841)
= Echinofossulocactus macracanthus Lawr.; Gard. Mag. & Reg. Rural Domest. Improv. 17: 318 (1922)
= Echinofossulocactus platyceras (Lem.) Lawr.; Gard. Mag. (London) 17: 318 (1841)
= Melocactus ingens Karw. ex Pfeiff.; Enum. Diagn. Cact. 54 (1837)
= Melocactus platyacanthus Link & Otto; Verh. Vereins Beförd. Gartenbaues Königl. Preuss. Staaten 3: t. 14 (1827)
= Melocactus tuberculatus Link & Otto; Verh. Vereins Beförd. Gartenbaues Königl. Preuss. Staaten 3: t. 26 (1827)
species :
Echinocactus polycephalus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow; Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5, no. 3), Bot. [Whipple]: 31 (1856)
subspecies :
subsp. polycephalus
Name: Biznaga de Chilitos, Cotton Top Cactus, Harem Cactus, Many-Headed Barrel Cactus, Woolly-Headed Barrel Cactus
Distribution: USA (Arizona, S-Nevada, Utah, E-California, SE-California); Mexico (Baja California Sur, Sonora)
76 USA 79 MEX
Synonyms: hidden
= Echinocactus polycephalus var. flavispinus F.Haage; Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 9: 43 (1899)
= Emorycactus polycephalus (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Doweld; Succulenta (Netherlands) 75(6): 270 (1996)
= Homalocephala polycephala (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Vargas & Bárcenas; PhytoKeys 111: 49 (2018)
subspecies :
subsp. xeranthemoides (J.M.Coult.) N.P.Taylor; Cactaceae Consensus Init. 5: 12 (1998)
Distribution: USA (Arizona: Navajo Desert)
76 USA
Synonyms: hidden
= Echinocactus polycephalus var. xeranthemoides J.M.Coult.; Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 3: 358 (1896)
= Echinocactus rhodophthalmus var. ellipticus Hook.; Bot. Mag. 78: t. 4634 (1852)
= Echinocactus xeranthemoides (J.M.Coult.) Engelm. ex K.Schum.; Gesamtbeschr. Kakt. 452 (1898)
= Emorycactus xeranthemoides (J.M.Coult.) Doweld; Succulenta (Netherlands) 75(6): 270 (1996)
= Homalocephala polycephala subsp. xeranthemoides (J.M.Coult.) Vargas & Bárcenas; PhytoKeys 111: 49 (2018)
species :
Echinocactus texensis Hopffer; Allg. Gartenzeitung [Otto & Dietrich] 10: 297 (1842)
Name: Candy Cactus, Devil´s-head Cactus, Devil´s Pincushion, Horse-crippler Cactus, Mancacaballo, Monco Caballo, Viznaga
Distribution: USA (Texas, SE-New Mexico); Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)
77 USA 79 MEX
Synonyms: hidden
= Echinocactus lindheimeri Engelm. & A.Gray; Boston J. Nat. Hist. 5: 246 (1845)
= Echinocactus platycephalus Muehlenpf.; Allg. Gartenzeitung [Otto & Dietrich] 16: 9 (1848)
= Echinocactus texensis Hopfer ex Regel; Gartenflora 37: 633 (1888), t. 1286
= Echinocactus texensis var. longispinus Schelle; Handb. Kakteenkult. 161 (1907)
= Echinocactus texensis var. treculianus C.F.Först.; Handb. Cacteenk., ed. 2 [Rümpler] 504 (1885)
= Homalocephala texensis (Hopffer) Britton & Rose; Cactaceae [Britton & Rose] 3: 181 (1922)
= Homalocephala texensis var. gourgensii (Cels ex Labour.) Y.Itô; Cacti [Borg] 108 (1952)
species :
Echinocactus ×diabolicus (Halda, L.Vacek & Vaško) Janeba; Kaktusy (Brno) 56: 134 (2020)
Distribution: Mexico
79 MEX
Remarks: E. horizonthalonius x E. platyacanthus
Synonyms: hidden
= Echinocactus horizonthalonius subsp. diabolicus Halda, L.Vacek & Vaško; Acta Mus. Richnov., Sect. Nat. 13: 1 (2006)
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A complete, synonymic checklist of the Higher Plants of the World

Version 26.08 (August 2nd, 2026)

Covering 360,349 accepted species,
8,927 hybrids, 47,544 accepted infraspecific taxa and 1,011,667 synonyms,
in total 1,428,487* names

[*about 20,000 dubious, "unplaced" names and about 4,000 invalid names (Art. 24.3) like "typicus" are deliberately omitted]

With complete, detailed distribution data (countries and regions) and literature references

Arranged in linear phylogenetic sequence reflecting true relationships

Fully searchable and continously updated

With 38,209 pictures of 15,787 species

Assembled through 40 years independently from other databases

In cooperation with Catalogue of Life