Removing the cactus from the list means that prohibitions of the Endangered Species Act against removing or damaging the species on federal land cease to apply, and federal agencies are no longer required to consult with the Service regarding their actions that may affect the species. However, other applicable laws protecting plants on federal lands and prohibiting collection still apply, as do any state laws and regulations protecting the species.
The Lloyds hedgehog cactus occurs in the Chihuahuan Desert in Texas, New Mexico, and the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. It reaches one foot in height and four-and-one-half inches in diameter and produces flowers that are scarlet to coral pink. Its fruit is greenish-orange when ripe.
The Service listed the cactus as endangered on October 26, 1979. The Service determined threats to the plants included collection and highway construction and maintenance projects.
"This cactus had been accepted by the scientific community as a distinct species ever since it was named in 1922," said Nancy Kaufman, the Services regional director for the Southwest Region. "However, recent evidence from Service-supported research indicates that the cactus is not actually a distinct species but rather a hybrid between two other cacti, a species of claret cup cactus and the Texas rainbow cactus, neither of which is listed under the Endangered Species Act."
Because Lloyds hedgehog cactus is an unstable hybrid rather than a distinct genetic line, it cannot be recognized taxonomically as a species or variety and no longer qualifies for protection under the Act. In plants, some populations that are of hybrid origin can become established as distinct species if they are fertile and develop self- perpetuating stocks that are sufficiently independent of the parental species. However, investigation of Lloyds hedgehog cactus has shown no such evidence.
The desert-dwelling Texas rainbow cactus is usually pollinated by bees while the claret cup cactus, which inhabits more moist habitats, is pollinated by hummingbirds. While the two species do not occur close to each other very often, botanists believe that bees may visit both species when they are close to each other, giving rise to the rare hybrid.
Some regulatory protection for the Lloyds hedgehog cactus still exists. All native cacti, including hybrids, are included in the protections of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). The convention regulates international trade of cacti, but does not regulate trade within the United States or prevent habitat destruction.
A proposal to delist Lloyds hedgehog cactus was originally published on June 14, 1996. Public comments were requested, and the comment period ended on August 13, 1996. The final determination was delayed while the Service caught up with a backlog of higher priority listing actions that developed as a result of a Congressionally imposed moratorium on listings in 1995 and a rescission of funding for the Services listing program in 1996.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of more than 500 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries and 78 Ecological Services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
