Xerophyte

Seeds

The seeds are minuscule ( like dust )

Description

Blossfeldia cyathiformisSN|5701]]SN|17908]] nom. nud. is one of several unpublished names of Ritter that still occur in commercial lists and now included in Blossfeldia liliputanaSN|17908]]SN|5701]]. It is a solitary or clumping miniature cactus, with no rib and no spines. Bloosfeldia is a poikilohydric and almost astomate succulent. This remarkable miniature is the most enigmatic of all cacti, confounding us with its physiological, anatomical, morphological, ecological and evolutionary peculiarities. They are apparently the only cacti that are capable of completely drying out and then rehydrating their cells when watered (called "poikilohydric"). It has been found to lose up to 80% of its moisture in one year and then survive drought for an additional year, making it very similar to mosses and lichens in being adapted to withstand near complete loss of moisture! It could be that what looks like a few dried out and dead seedlings could be revived by a thorough soak.Except for certain parasites and aquatics, this species possesses the lowest density of stomata of any terrestrial flowering plant.

Roots

Tuberous.

Flowers

Diurnal, cream-coloured diurnal, 6-15 mm long and 5-7 mm diameter and self fertile.

Blooming Season

Summer.

Ribs

Bodies have no ribs or tubercles.

Stem

Flattened disc-shaped, gray-green, usually up to 1,2 cm in diameter (rarely exceed the 2, but in cultivation grafted plants may attain a bigger size.

Areoles

Spiralling bearing tufts of wool and no spines.