Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-5 (mostly 4), whitish, yellowish, sometimes red-tipped, becoming grey with age, covered with microscopic trichomes, uppermost two V-shaped (often with 1 or 2 extra smaller centrals), 20-45 cm long, single lowermost one porrect, horizontally extended, slightly flattened often hooked, 22-30(45) mm long.

Seeds

Kidney-shaped 1,7-2 mm long, dark reddish-brown to black and shinning.

Description

Sclerocactus brevihamatusSN|25266]]SN|25266]] is a small deep-seated cactus that live 10 or more years, but large individuals might be at least 50 years old. The plant is usually solitary and relatively similar above ground to the related Sclerocactus brevihamatusSN|25266]]SN|25266]] aubsp. tobuschii, but the Tobusch fishhook cactus has hooked spines.

Roots

Short central taproot with a lot of fine fibrous, diffuse roots.

Tubercles

5-12 mm high with shallow woolly grooves on upper surface on their entire length.

Flowers

Funnelform, inconspicuous, from the adaxial edge of the areoles an the top of the plant, 2,5-3 cm long, 2,5-4 cm in diameter, opening fully, greenish, greenish white to light yellow to creamy white with a purple tint, often with reddish-brown central strips. Filaments and anthers yellowish. Stigma lobes green, yellow, whitish or (rarely) reddish purple.

Blooming Season

Flowering (late January-) February-March (rarely early April). The flower may open again on the second day.

Ribs

10-12 completely divided into tubercles.

Stem

Globose, unbranced, flattened, hemispheric or obovoid, often inconspicuous, dark green to grey-green, (3-)5-10(-15) cm high, (1-)5-8(-15) cm in diameter. The stems of immature specimens, are not obscured by spines.

Radial Spines

7-9(-14) white or greish, straight, needle-like, irregularly spreading or appressed, round, 10-20 mm long.

Fruits

Elongate egg-shaped, thin walled, about 15-30 mm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, pinkish-green, nearly naked.

Areoles

Nearly circular with short whitish wool.