Xerophyte

Description

The Melocactus caesiusSN|17710]]SN|17741]] is usually solitary and is now often considered as a subspecies of Melocactus curvispinusSN|17741]]SN|17710]]. The plants shows a considerable variation especially in the number of ribs.

Cephalium

Relatively small, broad and low, 3 to 4 cm tall and 7 to 11 cm in diameter whitish-woolly with long reddish-brown bristles, broader than the plants apex.

Flowers

From the cephalium, dark purple to light pink, 18 to 43 mm long and 10 to 25 mm in diameter.

Blooming Season

spring to summer open late in the afternoon.

Spines

Horn coloured. Radial spines about 6-8 (rarely more), spreading and one central spine similar to the radials, erect, (often missing), about 20 mm long.

Ribs

10 to 15 ribs, prominent, deeply furrowed , sharp 2 cm high.

Stem

Depressed globular to oval and often narrowed above, bluish green or greyish green, up to 27 cm in diameter and up to 20(-30) cm tall.

Fruits

Club-shaped to obovoid, dark-pink to wine-coloured slightly lighter at the base up to 3 cm long, 1-1,5 cm thick. Edible.

Areoles

Circular, white-wooly about 2-3 cm aprt, slightly sunken in the notches.