Pediocactus

Pediocactus (Greek: πεδίον (pedion) means "plain", "flat", "field") is a genus of cacti native to the Western United States. The genus comprises between 6 and 11 species, depending upon the authority. Species of this genus are referred to as hedgehog cacti, though that name is also applied to plants from the genera Echinocereus and Echinopsis. Species may also be referred to as pincushion cacti, a common name which is also applied to other genera.

==Description== The Pediocactus genus includes small species of cactus that grow either individually or in clusters, reaching heights of up to . The shoots, which can be green or glaucous, come in cylindrical, spherical, or depressed spherical shapes, with diameters ranging from and heights from . Despite lacking ribs, these shoots have warts measuring in length and in diameter. The characteristic appearance is contributed to by the areoles, spaced apart (occasionally up to ). The shoots also have thorns, varying in number, color, and orientation. There can be up to ten light gray or white central spines, measuring , and three to 35 reddish to whitish marginal spines, which can be straight, curved, or comb-shaped, extending in length.