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pincushion cactus

American  

noun

  1. any of various low-growing, spiny cacti of the genus Mammillaria.


Etymology

Origin of pincushion cactus

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The endangered Sneed’s pincushion cactus and other rare plants also grow in the area.

From Washington Post

This 4,000-acre patch of protected land northeast of the airport was set aside in 1999 for the endangered dwarf bear claw poppy, the threatened Siler pincushion cactus, important riparian habitats, historical sites and due to its highly erodible soils, the Spectrum newspaper reported.

From Washington Times

The freelance botanist, as Wellard calls himself, knows that having these delicate and desiccated roots intact will be the key to this threatened Siler pincushion cactus’s survival in its new home, just a few miles down the road at the White Dome Nature Preserve south of St. George.

From Washington Times

Fewer than ten thousand individuals remain worldwide of the Siler pincushion cactus, according to a 2006 survey that Wellard fears is now an overestimate.

From Washington Times

And the resulting seeds will then rise as the next generation of Siler pincushion cactus, observable from the public trails through the White Dome Nature Preserve.

From Washington Times