Xerophyte

Central Spines

Thin and papyraceous ca. 18-23 mm long, 1 mm wide, grey, erect but flexible and curved;

Seeds

Small, black, finely tuberculate, ca. 1 mm long, 0,5 mm in diameter.

Description

Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus subs. gracilis much better known under its old name, Turbinicarpus gracilisSN|12696]]SN|12696]] is a small cactus species that typically will grow solitary but may on occasion cluster. It is very similar to Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus ssp. dickisoniae the closest variety from which differ in type and number of spines.

Tubercles

round. ca. 7 mm long (compared to the 3-5 mm long tubercles of ssp. dickisoniae), ca. 1,8 mm in diameter at tip, 3-5 mm broad at base, slender, nearly terete, somewhat angled, bright greyish green;

Flowers

Slender funnelshaped, 2 cm long, 1,5 cm in diameter; outer perianth segments white with pale greenish brown to narrow greenish or cerise mid-line; inner segments pure white;

Stem

The stem is globular and depressed, up to 30mm high 30-40mm wide grey-green (but in cultivated plants it can be more elongated and wide).

Radial Spines

few short, 2 mm long, white deflexed in lower portion of areole, perpendicular to axis of tubercle; occasionally present also in adult specimens but deciduous.

Fruits

Tan, globose, dehiscent along longitudinal split.