CRCritically Endangered

Turbinicarpus mandragora

Declining

Overview

Rapicactus mandragora, synonym Turbinicarpus mandragora, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae.

Turbinicarpus mandragora faces severe threats from illegal collection for the international cactus trade, driven by its highly prized ornamental value among collectors. The species' extremely restricted range in the Chihuahuan Desert makes entire populations vulnerable to overcollection, while habitat degradation from livestock grazing and mining activities further compounds population decline. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat through altered precipitation patterns in its already arid habitat.
Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits limestone hills and rocky outcrops in the Chihuahuan Desert of northeastern Mexico, typically growing in crevices and on steep slopes with well-drained calcareous soils. It occurs at elevations between 1,000-1,500 meters in areas with sparse desert scrub vegetation.

Rocky areas· majorDesert· major

Conservation measures underway

Legislation

Other threatened species in CACTACEAE

Threatened in Mexico

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Turbinicarpus mandragora classified as Critically Endangered?

Turbinicarpus mandragora is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Turbinicarpus mandragora faces severe threats from illegal collection for the international cactus trade, driven by its highly prized ornamental value among collectors. The species' extremely restricted range in the Chihuahuan Desert makes entire populations vulnerable to overcollection, while habitat degradation from livestock grazing and mining activities further compounds population decline. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat through altered precipitation patterns in its already arid habitat.

Where does Turbinicarpus mandragora live?

Turbinicarpus mandragora occurs in Mexico. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.

What are the main threats to Turbinicarpus mandragora?

The main threats to Turbinicarpus mandragora are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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