Tephrocactus alexanderi

Tephrocactus alexanderi

Tephrocactus alexanderi

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Caryophyllales
Classification System: APG IV Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Diaphoretickes Cladus: CAM Cladus: Archaeplastida Regnum: Plantae Cladus: Angiosperms Cladus: Eudicots Cladus: Core eudicots Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Opuntioideae
Tribus: Tephrocacteae
Genus: Tephrocactus
Species: Tephrocactus alexanderi

Name

Tephrocactus alexanderi (Britton & Rose) Backeb., Cactus (Paris) no. 38: 250 (1953).

Synonyms

• Basionym
  • Opuntia alexanderi Britton & Rose, Cactaceae 4: 256 (1923)
    • Type locality: ARGENTINA. Province of La Rioja: between Chilecito and Fanatina [​Famatina].
    • Type: W.B. Alexander s.n. (in fruit, 19 February 1921; US [​US00115778 (59497)^{(GBIF, JSTOR, speciesLink)}]; Isotype: NY [​NY00386066^{(GBIF, JSTOR, speciesLink)}])
• Heterotypic
  • Opuntia bruchii Speg. in Physis (Buenos Aires) 8: 239. (1925) syn. sec. Hunt 2016
  • Tephrocactus bruchii Speg. in Revista Argent. Bot. 1: 202. (1926)
  • Tephrocactus bruchii (Speg.) Backeb., Cactaceae (Berlin) 1939(2): 18. (1939)
  • Tephrocactus alexanderi var. bruchii (Speg.) Backeb. in Cactus (Paris) 38: 250. (1953)
  • Opuntia alexanderi var. bruchii (Speg.) G.D.Rowley in Natl. Cact. Succ. J. 13: 5. (1958)
  • Opuntia bruchii f. brachyacantha Speg. in Revista Argent. Bot. 1: 202. 1926 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
  • Tephrocactus bruchii f. brachyacanthus Speg. in Revista Argent. Bot. 1: 202. (1926)
  • Tephrocactus alexanderi subvar. brachyacanthus (Speg.) Backeb., Cactaceae 1: 294. (1958)
  • Opuntia bruchii f. macracantha Speg. in Revista Argent. Bot. 1: 202. (1926)
  • Tephrocactus alexanderi subvar. macranthus (Speg.) Backeb., Cactaceae 1: 293. 1958 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
  • Tephrocactus bruchii subvar. macracantha (Speg.) Backeb., Cactaceae 1: 293. (1958)
  • Opuntia geometrica A.Cast., Kakteenkunde 1934: 172 (1934)
  • Opuntia halophila Speg., Anales Soc. Ci. Argent. 99: 97 (1925)
  • Tephrocactus geometricus (A.Cast.) Backeb., C.Backeberg & F.M.Knuth, Kaktus-ABC: 111 (1936)
  • Tephrocactus halophilus (Speg.) Backeb., C.Backeberg & F.M.Knuth, Kaktus-ABC: 111 (1936)
  • Opuntia riojana Hosseus ex Backeb. & F.M.Knuth, Kaktus-ABC: 113, 429. 1936 ["1935"]
  • Tephrocactus riojanus (Hosseus) Backeb., Kaktus-ABC: 113. 1936 ["1935"]
  • Tephrocactus flexuosus Backeb., Kaktus-ABC: 109, 410. 1936 ["1935"] syn. sec. Hunt 2016
  • Opuntia flexuosa (Backeb.) G.D.Rowley in Natl. Cact. Succ. J. 13: 5. 1958 syn. sec. Hunt 2016
  • Tephrocactus subsphaericus Backeb., Kaktus-ABC: 410. 1936 ["1935"] syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
  • Tephrocactus alexanderi var. subsphaericus (Backeb.) Backeb. in Cactus (Paris) 38: 250. 1953 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
  • Opuntia alexanderi var. subsphaerica (Backeb.) G.D.Rowley in Natl. Cact. Succ. J. 13: 5. 1958 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
  • Tephrocactus microsphaericus Backeb., Kakteenlex.: 426. 1966 syn. sec. Las Peñas & al. 2019
    

Note: POWO (2025) included Tephrocactus geometricus (A.Cast.) Backeb. in their synonymy of Tephrocactus alexanderi, but as CACO support its segregation it has its own taxon page.

Distribution

Native distribution areas:
Southern America Southern South America Argentina Northwest (Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan, San Luis). References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition

References

Primary references

• Backeberg, C. 1953. Cactus (Paris) 38: 250.
• Britton, N.L. & Rose, J.N. 1923. The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family. Vol. 4. 318 pp. + 37 pl. Carnegie Institution of Washington. BHL PDF Reference page. 

Additional references

• Hunt, D. 2016. CITES Cactaceae Checklist, ed. 3: 1–174. PDF. Reference page. 
• Korotkova, N., Aquino, D., Arias, S., Eggli, U., Franck, A. , Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Guerrero, P.C., Hernández, H.M., Kohlbecker, A., Köhler, M., Luther, K., Majure, L.C., Müller, A., Metzing, D., Nyffeler, R., Sánchez, D., Schlumpberger, B. & Berendsohn, W.G. 2021. Cactaceae at Caryophyllales. org–a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. Willdenowia 51(2): 251–270. DOI: 10.3372/wi.51.51208 Reference page. 
• Zuloaga, F.O., Belgrano, M.J. & Zanotti, C.A. 2019. Actualización del Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Darwiniana Nueva Serie, 7(2): 208–278. DOI: 10.14522/darwiniana.2019.72.861 . Appendix 1 (PDF) Catalogue on BHL. Reference page.  [see App. I, p. 341]

Links

• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2026. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Taxon: Tephrocactus alexanderi. Accessed: 2026 February 11.
• Govaerts, R. et al. 2026. Tephrocactus alexanderi in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2026 February 11. Reference page. 
• International Plant Names Index. 2026. Tephrocactus alexanderi. Published online. Accessed: 11 February 2026. Reference page.

• Kiesling, R., Ortega-Baes, P. & Méndez, E., 2017. Tephrocactus alexanderi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. IUCN Red List Category: Least Concern . DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T151836A121569697.en.
• Korotkova, N. et al. 2026. Tephrocactus alexanderi in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published online. Accessed: 2026 February 11. Reference page.  (entry)
• LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms 2013-2026. Tephrocactus alexanderi in LLIFLE. Published on internet. Accessed: 2026 February 11.
• Tropicos.org 2026. Tephrocactus alexanderi. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 11 February 2026. Reference page.

Vernacular names

• español: Bola de Indio

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