Cactaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Melocactus pruinosus

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

1/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Melocactus pruinosus is a spiny, evergreen depressed-globose cactus, producing a single stem that can be 8 - 13cm tall and 11 - 16cm in diameter. Flowers are produced in a cephalium, a perennial structure up to 55mm high and 40 - 90mm in diameter that develops atop the adult cactus[ 1987 Title The Cactus Family Publication Author Anderson E.F. Publisher Timber Press; Portland, Oregon Year 2001 ISBN 0-88192-498-9 Description An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation.. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is grown as an ornamental. Even though Melocactus pruinosus faces some major threats, it has a large extent of occurrence and it is abundant. It occurs in two main types of habitat, caatinga (dry forest), which is under severe pressure from human activity; and campo ruspestre (montane savannah), which remains in a good conservation state. 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - eastern Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais)

HabitatIn open areas and beneath low to tall shrubs and trees in dry forest, campo rupestre and cerrado de altitude, growing in stony soils, quartz sand and gravel, or between crystalline rocks ; at elevations from 550 - 1,300 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. , 1987 Title The Cactus Family Publication Author Anderson E.F. Publisher Timber Press; Portland, Oregon Year 2001 ISBN 0-88192-498-9 Description An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation.. ].