Quick facts
| Rank | Tribe |
|---|---|
| Author | Cacteae Rchb. |
| Parent taxa | Subfamily Cactoideae; family Cactaceae |
| Subtribes | 3, per the 2025 classification: Echinocactinae, Ferocactinae, Cactinae |
| Type genus | Mammillaria Haw. |
Description
Cacteae is a tribe of mostly North American globular and barrel-shaped cacti within subfamily Cactoideae. The 2025 nuclear-gene phylogenomic study places it within Cactoideae and divides it into three subtribes. Older papers use different boundaries and genus counts; those numbers describe their own classifications, not a single eternal inventory.
Subtribes
| Subtribe | Notes |
|---|---|
| Echinocactinae | A paraphyletic grade within the tribe |
| Ferocactinae | — |
| Cactinae | Includes Lophophora, covered on this site |
de Vos et al. 2025 · full text (PMC), genus-to-subtribe placement ↗
Distribution
Genera placed in Cacteae are concentrated in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Keep older names with their source records so historical papers remain searchable, and do not infer identical care, disease resistance or graft compatibility merely because two plants share a tribe — see the research guide for the host used in each example on this site.