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Photo by Deb Clark; Bill Gray; Bill Gray; Bill Gray; Meghan McCormick; Meghan McCormick
Photo Courtesy of the National Park Service; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; Sources: ESRI, USGS, NOAA; UNHP; UNHP
Despain Pincushion Cactus
Pediocactus despainii
Other common names: Despain Footcactus
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G2
State (S-rank): S2
External links
Phenology
Flowers from April to May.
Species range
Endemic to central Utah, occurring in Wayne and Emery Counties, particularly in the San Rafael Swell.
Threats or limiting factors
Small population sizes of San Rafael cactus may increase the species’ vulnerability to threats (USFWS 2024). Threatened by loss of individuals and habitat degradation associated with illegal collecting, grazing, recreation, roads and other construction, native ungulates, feral horses and burros, disease and predation (USFWS 2024). Regulatory mechanisms are inadequate to address threats to the species (USFWS 2024). About half of the population is in areas covered by oil and gas leases and/or mining claims for gypsum. However, as of 2007, mineral exploration and subsequent mining was considered a minor threat (USFWS 2007). Another threat includes invasive exotic plant species (USFWS 2007). Observations in Utah Rare Plant Database report threats of camping, OHV use, hiking, drought, utility lines, invasive species, farming and ranching, natural rarity, small isolated populations, problematic animal species- native (deer and rodents), problematic species- insect (beetle) (URPD, 2025).
