Melocactus salvadorensis

Melocactus salvadorensis is a cactus in the Cactaceae family. It is perennial, which means it lives for many years. It grows in eastern Brazil, in Bahia and Minas Gerais. Its native climate has wet and dry seasons. Plants grow near bare rock outcrops of granite and gneiss. They also grow on stony ground in dry woodland and caatinga. Known sites lie 820–3,412 feet [250–1,040 metres] above sea level. Turk's cap is one of its common names.

Plants tend to form one stem rather than a clump. The stem ranges from a flat ball to a rounded pyramid. Its blue-green skin often has a strong pale, waxy bloom. Stem height reaches about 0.4–0.7 feet [0.12–0.20 metres]. One source gives a total height of 0.8 feet [0.25 metres]. Width ranges from 0.4–0.8 feet [0.12–0.25 metres]. Each stem has eight to fourteen sharp ribs shaped like triangles. The spines range from yellowish brown to reddish brown. Young spines have a grey coat. Each cluster has one to four central spines. It also has seven to ten radial spines, which spread outward.

Adult plants grow a cephalium on top of the stem. This part bears the flowers. It has thick reddish bristles and scattered pale wool. It can reach 0.5 feet [0.15 metres] tall. Its width reaches about 0.3 feet [0.10 metres]. Small pink-magenta flowers rise just above this bristly crown. They open late in the afternoon. Each flower reaches about 0.08 feet [0.025 metres] long. Hummingbirds and insects visit the flowers. Plants are self-fertile: they can set seed with their own pollen. The deep lilac-magenta fruits have a club shape. They are somewhat flat and reach 0.06 feet [0.017 metres] long.

People grow this cactus for its looks and raise it from seed. The supplied accounts give no sound hardiness rating for this species. Nor do they give clear light or watering needs for it. They name no pests or diseases. Local people use the stems to make sweets. Reports note use as medicine but give no treatment details. The food-use record does not show that every part is edible. One source lists no known hazards. This does not prove safety for pets.

The cited conservation account lists the species as Vulnerable. It reports a steady decline despite the plant's broad range. Farming and cattle grazing shrink its habitat. So do fuelwood harvest and urban growth. Taking wild plants for their looks adds to this strain.