Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-4, subulate, nearly 2,5 cm long, rusty red later grey sometime with black tips, all curved upwards, base swollen.

Description

Usually solitary globular cactus with apex covered with incurved, rust-coloured spines.

Flowers

From the from centre of plant 2.5-5 cm in diameter, Urn-shaped, straw coloured, yellow or green yellow.

Ribs

About 12-13.

Stem

Globose to sub-globose or cylindrical as it becomes old, grey green, up to 12 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

7 to 12 about 1,5-2 cm long, horn coloured, brownish becoming grey as the age.

Variegated Form

Variegated Eriosyce can be found (although not commonly) in cultivation. All variegates are mutants. Something has gone wrong with the cellular structure of the growth tip (apical meristem) of the plant. As a result of this mutation, chlorophyll is missing from some or all layers of the plant epidermis. The odd variegate appears in many seedling batches in a small percentage and are generally separated from normal plants. Variegated plants grow slower and are generally smaller than non-variegates of the same species. Coloured areas are also generally weaker, and more susceptible to fungus, sunburn and other defects. A large well grown variegate eryosyce is truly an achievement. These are harder to grow well than they appear.

Areoles

Oval, woolly and hairy when young (with yellowish felt), later naked.