Ferocactus cylindraceus is a species of barrel cactus which is known by several common names, including California barrel cactus, Desert barrel cactus, and miner's compass. It was first described by George Engelmann in 1853.
Region: Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah.
Habitat: gravelly, rocky, sandy soils.
BotanyHerb.
Stem: cylindrical or spherical; spines many long, straight, red when new, curved and gray when old.
Flowers: maroon outside, bright yellow inside, with red or yellow centers on the sun side.
Fruits fleshy, hollow, yellow.