The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T40968A2948122
Obregonia denegrii, Artichoke Cactus
Assessment by: Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Guadalupe Martínez, J.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Guadalupe Martínez, J. 2013. Obregonia denegrii. The IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T40968A2948122. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20131.RLTS.T40968A2948122.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Caryophyllales
Cactaceae
Taxon Name: Obregonia denegrii Fric
Common Name(s):
• English:
• Spanish:
Artichoke Cactus
Obregnita
Taxonomic Source(s):
Hunt, D., Taylor, N. and Charles, G. (compilers and editors). 2006. The New Cactus Lexicon. dh Books,
Milborne Port, UK.
Taxonomic Notes:
Accepted as a valid species by Anderson (2001) and Hunt (1999).
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) ver 3.1
Year Published:
2013
Date Assessed:
November 18, 2009
Justification:
Obregonia denegrii is considered to be Endangered due to a very small geographic range (extent of
occurrence ca 2,000 km2) and ongoing declines due to illegal overcollecting and habitat modification
due to grazing. The area of occupancy is estimated to be 350 km² and there are no more than five
subpopulations, all of them are found in one location. The population consists of less than 5,000 plants,
and it continues to decrease due to collecting.
Previously Published Red List Assessments
2002 – Vulnerable (VU)
1978 – Vulnerable (V)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species is endemic to the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It occurs at an altitude of about 1,000 m asl.
Country Occurrence:
Native: Mexico (Tamaulipas)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Obregonia denegrii – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40968A2948122.en
1
Population
W.A. and B. Fitz Maurice (pers. comm. 2009) have visited the population three times. The total
population is estimated to have decreased by about 50% in the past 50 years. The current population is
estimated to be about 5,000 individuals.
This species has been the object of several surveys during the past 20 years. An international team
sponsored by WWF studied it in 1986 (Anderson et al. 1994), and a CITES-funded project monitored a
major population in the early 1990s (Cante and Desert Botanical Garden 1997).
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
This cactus grows in semi-desert (or Tamaulipan Shrubland according to Anderson et al. (1994)), in the
Valley of Jaumave. The generation length is 10 years.
Systems: Terrestrial
Use and Trade (see Appendix for additional information)
This species is illegally collected as an ornamental and is also widely cultivated. It is collected by local
people for medicinal purposes (used to treat rheumatism).
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
Erosion is being accelerated by the grazing activities of livestock, and uprooted plants have been
recorded as a result (Anderson et al. 1994). Illegal commercial collecting and collecting by local people
affect some subpopulations. Road construction and urban development at one site may also pose a
threat.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
The species is listed on CITES Appendix I, but the laws governing imports in the countries of destination
need to be enforced. The species is widely propagated.
A micropropagation technique is under development at the Cadereyta Regional Botanical Garden (E.
Sánchez pers. comm. 2011).This species is legally protected in Mexico by the national list of species at
risk of extinction, NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, where it is listed under category “threatened” (A;
SEMARNAT 2010).
Credits
Assessor(s):
Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Guadalupe Martínez, J.
Reviewer(s):
Superina, M., Goettsch, B.K. & Chanson, J.S.
Facilitators(s) and
Compiler(s):
Schipper, J.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Obregonia denegrii – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40968A2948122.en
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Bibliography
Anderson, E.F. 2001. The Cactus Family. Timber Press, Portland.
Anderson, E.F., Arias Montes, S. and Taylor, N.P. 1994. Threatened Cacti of Mexico. Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew.
Cante, A.C. and Desert Botanical Garden 1997. CITES Special Project S-53: Population Study on Rare
Mexican Cacti. Final Report.
Hunt, D. 1999. CITES Cactaceae Checklist, 2nd ed. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and International
Organization for Succulent Plant Study (IOS).
IUCN. 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2013.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 12 June 2013).
SEMARNAT. 2010. Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, Protección ambiental-Especies
nativas de México de flora y fauna silvestres-Categorías de riesgo y especificaciones para su inclusión,
exclusión o cambio-Lista de especies en riesgo. Diario Oficial de la Federación.
Citation
Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Guadalupe Martínez, J. 2013. Obregonia denegrii. The IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species 2013: e.T40968A2948122. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20131.RLTS.T40968A2948122.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Obregonia denegrii – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40968A2948122.en
3
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
8. Desert -> 8.1. Desert - Hot
Resident
Suitable
Yes
Use and Trade
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
End Use
Local
National
International
Medicine - human & veterinary
Yes
No
No
Pets/display animals, horticulture
No
Yes
Yes
Establishing ex-situ production *
No
No
No
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
1. Residential & commercial development -> 1.1.
Housing & urban areas
Ongoing
-
-
-
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.3. Livestock farming
& ranching -> 2.3.4. Scale Unknown/Unrecorded
Ongoing
-
-
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
4. Transportation & service corridors -> 4.1. Roads &
railroads
Ongoing
-
-
-
5. Biological resource use -> 5.2. Gathering terrestrial
plants -> 5.2.1. Intentional use (species is the target)
Ongoing
Majority (5090%)
-
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management
Occur in at least one PA: Yes
In-Place Education
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Obregonia denegrii – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40968A2948122.en
4
Conservation Actions in Place
Included in international legislation: Yes
Subject to any international management/trade controls: Yes
Conservation Actions Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions Needed
5. Law & policy -> 5.4. Compliance and enforcement -> 5.4.1. International level
Additional Data Fields
Distribution
Estimated area of occupancy (AOO) (km²): 350
Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) (km²): 2000
Number of Locations: 1
Lower elevation limit (m): 1000
Upper elevation limit (m): 1000
Population
Number of mature individuals: 5000
Continuing decline of mature individuals: Yes
Habitats and Ecology
Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat: Yes
Generation Length (years): 10
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Obregonia denegrii – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40968A2948122.en
5
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™