Opuntia megarrhiza

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	TRACHEOPHYTA	MAGNOLIOPSIDA	CARYOPHYLLALES	CACTACEAE

Scientific Name:

Opuntia megarrhiza

Species Authority:

Rose

Common Name/s:

Spanish

–

Nopalillo

Taxonomic Notes:

Originally described by J.N. Rose in 1906. Later recognized by Britton and Rose (1919) and by Bravo (1978). Recently studied by Hernández et al. (2001).

Hunt et al. (2006) treat O. pachyrriza as being conspecific with O. megarrhiza, but that treatment is not followed here and O. pachyrriza is assessed separately.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2002
Annotations:	Needs updating
Assessor/s:	Hernández, H.M., Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Goettsch, B.
Reviewer/s:	Stuppy, W. & Taylor, N.P. (Cacti & Succulent Plant Red List Authority)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Qualifies due to its small extent of occurrence (less than 1,895 km²) and to the fact that the population is fragmented; only two disjunct subpopulations comprising four locations in total are known. The quality of its habitat is expected to decline in the long term due to the intensification of human activities. The rhizomes of this species are collected by local people for medicinal purposes.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Restricted to some fragments of the summits of La Trinidad and Álvarez mountain ranges, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The extent of occurrence is ca. 1,895 km², fragmented into two subpopulations with an area of occupancy of ca. 50 km². Only four discrete locations have been recorded. The population size is less than 2,500 mature individuals.
Countries:	Native: Mexico (San Luis Potosí)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Found in areas of disturbed grassland of Bouteloua gracilis or Heteropogon contortus, and chaparral of Quercus striatula or Q. edwardii. The soils are relatively deep-dark clay, with limestone outcrops.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Natural vegetation is almost totally modified, due to livestock raising. The species is under some pressure due to its medicinal uses.

Major Threat(s):

Natural vegetation is almost totally modified, due to livestock raising. The species is under some pressure due to its medicinal uses.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Listed on CITES App. II. The species is within a recently decreed protected area (Area Natural Protegida del Real de Guadalcázar). The effective conservation of this area would ensure the survival of the species. The medicinal value of the species has to be verified through scientific research. Its possible utilization could lead to its conservation through management.

Conservation Actions:

Listed on CITES App. II. The species is within a recently decreed protected area (Area Natural Protegida del Real de Guadalcázar). The effective conservation of this area would ensure the survival of the species. The medicinal value of the species has to be verified through scientific research. Its possible utilization could lead to its conservation through management.

Citation:	Hernández, H.M., Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Goettsch, B. 2002. Opuntia megarrhiza. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
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