Pelecyphora sneedii

Pelecyphora sneedii

Pelecyphora sneedii (Britton & Rose) D.Aquino & Dan.Sánchez

A species from the southwestern United States and northeastern Mexico. The former Escobaria albicolumnaria, examined for seed lignin, is now a synonym of its nominate subspecies. [2-WWW] [Chen et al. 2013]

1 min readUpdated 11 October 2026

Name and distribution

Pelecyphora sneedii is an accepted species in POWO, ranging from Arizona to Texas and northeastern Mexico. It includes subsp. sneedii and subsp. orcuttii. The current combination dates from 2022 (formerly Escobaria sneedii). [2-WWW]

Chemia badanych nasion

The material named Escobaria albicolumnaria in the publication corresponds to present-day Pelecyphora sneedii subsp. sneedii. POWO lists E. albicolumnaria as a synonym of this particular subspecies. Linking the name preserves the scope of the sample in the chemical study. [2-WWW]

Chen and colleagues reported a high content of typical G/S lignin in seeds identified as Escobaria albicolumnaria. The result therefore belongs to historically distinguished material of the nominate subspecies of P. sneedii. It provides no basis for assigning the same chemical characterisation to the other currently accepted subspecies, subsp. orcuttii. [Chen et al. 2013, pp. 206–208]

Cactus seed lignin. Different polymers in similar coats

Materials from the author's archive

The species also appears in Konrad Szychowski's private material archive. [Kaktologia 2009b, file p. 9] [Neciu b.d., file p. 1]

Synonyms and names in the literature

Escobaria sneedii · Escobaria albicolumnaria [2-WWW]

Sources for this account

[2-WWW]Source website

Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

https://powo.science.kew.org/

Accepted names, synonyms and distribution. A citation beside a taxon leads to its record.

Accessed 2026-10-08.

Article2013

Novel seed coat lignins in the Cactaceae: structure, distribution and implications for the evolution of lignin diversity

Chen F., Tobimatsu Y., Jackson L., Nakashima J., Ralph J., Dixon R. A., Novel seed coat lignins in the Cactaceae: structure, distribution and implications for the evolution of lignin diversity, The Plant Journal, 2013, 73(2):201-211, doi: 10.1111/tpj.12012

Chemical characterisation of seed walls in 130 cactus species using thioacidolysis, GC-MS, NMR and microscopy. The paper documents catechyl lignin, unusual polymers of 5-hydroxyguaiacyl units in former Escobaria, typical G/S lignin and cases of undetectable lignin. Comparison with vegetative organs indicates the specificity of seed wall chemistry and leads to hypotheses of biosynthetic regulation.

GenusPhysiology and anatomyBiotechnology and applicationsCoryphanthaCumariniaEpithelanthaEscobariaMammillariaMelocactusPelecyphora

DOI ↗Article or source page ↗

Zeszyt czasopisma2009b

Kaktologia — zeszyt 2

[Autor nieustalony, Kaktologia — zeszyt 2, Kaktologia, 2009b, nr 2]

A 2009 issue preserved in Konrad Szychowski's private archive. It contains collectors' material and historical cactus nomenclature.

Genus

Bibliographic details and access scope

Data according to the source used. Author unknown.

Copy in the supplied material

Katalogb.d.

Oferta kaktusów Cristiana Neciu — dokument Word

[Neciu C., Oferta kaktusów Cristiana Neciu — dokument Word, b.d.]

Cristian Neciu's cactus offer preserved in Konrad Szychowski's private archive. It documents plant names used in a collector's offer.