Taxon Report

Echinocereus engelmannii (Parry) Ruempler var. howei L. Benson

Howe's hedgehog cactus

Print Report


Taxon Summary

Echinocereus engelmannii var. howei, commonly known as Howe's hedgehog cactus, is a perennial stem in the Cactaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Mojavean desert scrub, growing at elevations from 430 to 775 meters. Echinocereus engelmannii var. howei is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Echinocereus engelmannii (Parry) Ruempler var. howei L. Benson
Common Name:
Howe's hedgehog cactus
Family: Cactaceae
Element Code: PDCAC06035
USDA Plants Symbol: ECENH
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial stem
Blooming Period: Apr-May Apr-May
Elevation: 430-775 (1410-2545)
General Habitats: Mojavean desert scrub
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 3
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 0
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 3
California Endemic:  True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
San Bernardino (SBD)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Bannock (3411487), Goffs (3411581)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 2
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
3 100 %
Over-collecting/poaching 3 100%
Other 1 33%

Notes

Probably threatened by horticultural collecting. Not in The Jepson Manual. See Cactus and Succulent Journal 46:80 (1974) for original description.
Threats:
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 23 May 2025].