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Species

Brain Cactus

Stenocactus multicostatus

Article summary

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Accepted name, four homotypic Kew synonyms, two accepted subspecies, Mexican range, and global DD status of Stenocactus multicostatus.

Scientific taxonomy article

Accepted name and publication history

The accepted name in the current Kew backbone is Stenocactus multicostatus (Daul) A.Berger. Alwin Berger transferred Daul’s 1890 Echinocactus multicostatus to Stenocactus in 1929 in Kakteen 346. IPNI confirms nomenclatural authorship and place of publication, while current acceptance, native distribution, and the exact synonym surface follow the rendered POWO species page.12

The basionym is Echinocactus multicostatus Daul, recorded from Illustr. Handb. Kakteenkunde 65 (1890).

Taxonomic boundary

In the Kaktüs Doktoru backbone, this is a species child of the accepted genus Stenocactus. Kew lists 2 accepted infraspecific taxa on the species page: Stenocactus multicostatus subsp. multicostatus, Stenocactus multicostatus subsp. zacatecasensis (Britton & Rose) U.Guzmán & Vázq.-Ben.. The species-level surface places 4 historical names in species synonymy. Those names do not create accepted taxa, products, or public routes.

Identity and variation

Numerous narrow, strongly folded ribs and a densely pleated stem surface are strong clues; one spine or rib character alone is not a definitive identification. Accepted species identity should rest on current nomenclature plus stem, rib, areole, spine, flower, and provenance context rather than one trade label or photograph.

Native distribution and conservation

Kew records the species from north-eastern Mexico to northern Jalisco and describes it as a succulent subshrub of desert or dry shrubland biomes.1 The global category is DD — Data Deficient.3 DD means that available information is insufficient; it is not equivalent to commercial availability or security of every local population.

Synonymy and retrieval

The exact reviewed Kew surface contains 4 unique names: 4 homotypic and 0 heterotypic. All four names are homotypic combinations based on Daul’s same type; the two accepted subspecies are not folded into species synonymy. Synonyms support nomenclatural history and retrieval of older literature; they are neither canonical routes nor accepted subordinate ranks.1

References

  1. Plants of the World Online. “Stenocactus multicostatus (Daul) A.Berger.” Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed: 2026-08-09. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:244569-2 ↩
  2. International Plant Names Index. “Stenocactus multicostatus (Daul) A.Berger.” Accessed: 2026-08-09. https://www.ipni.org/n/244569-2 ↩
  3. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Stenocactus multicostatus.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/151801/121567896 ↩

Plants In This Group

Brain Cactus

Stenocactus multicostatus

Brain Cactus

Stenocactus multicostatus is a Mexican natural cactus associated with numerous narrow ribs and a conspicuously folded stem surface. Numerous narrow, strongly folded ribs and a densely pleated stem surface are strong clues; one spine or rib character alone is not a definitive identification. The botanical dictionary layer explains the living plant, while accepted identity and the 4 name nomenclatural surface remain explicit in the taxonomy article.