Common Name: Sand Club-Cholla

General Information

Grusonia pulchella is a spiny, succulent, low-growing, much-branched, shrubby cactus, forming clumps 10 - 20cm tall. The roots are tuberlike, 7 - 10cm long and 3 - 7cm wide. The stems are segmented, individual segments cylindric to ellipsoid, 1 -10cm long and up to 2cm wide[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is occasionally grown as an ornamental[].
Grusonia pulchella is a widespread species and although not abundant it is not an infrequent species. There are some
threats but these are not widespread or significant enough to pose any problems. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids - these are barbed spines that are usually small to minute and are very sharp and brittle. The glochids are very easily dislodged when the plant is touched and can penetrate the skin where, because of their barbs, they become stuck and are very difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable irritation and discomfort[, ].

Botanical References

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Range

Southwest N. America - California, Nevada, Utah

Habitat

Mojave Desert, Great Plains, sandy to rocky flats or slopes, often at edges of dry washes and lakes; at elevations from 1,200 - 1,900 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.15 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

We have no reports of edibility, but the reddish fruit is fleshy, obconical, smooth-skinned, around 15 - 30mm long and 8 - 12mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

The tuberous roots are used for traditional medicinal purposes, mostly for the treatment of diarrhoea[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -