Xerophyte

Seeds

Black, shining 1 x 0,77 mm.

Description

Copiapoa marginataSN|1739]]SN|1412]] is a short columnar clump-forming cactus flowering when quite small. This species varies considerably in cultivation from native habitat. In nature, the bodies are dark dirty-grey-green, with leached white spines and the apexes of stems are filled with soft brown wool. When grown in pots, this plant tends to have darker spines on most of the body, with white spines only appearing on the oldest areoles at the bottom of the plant. In cultivation the wool remains on the areoles (as long as water is kept off the top) giving the whole plant a fuzzy top.

Roots

It ha a short taproot.

Flowers

At the apex, diurnal closing at night, with odour, protracting the period of opening many days, small, 2,5-3,5 cm. long; outer perianth segments broad, obtuse, upright, acute-lanceolate, pointed and with red tips; inner perianth segments yellow upright, obtuse, with a very short terminal point. Stamens included. The crowded filaments as well as the anthers are yellowish; the style is thick and hollow, the eleven stigma lobes yellow.

Spines

5 to 10, unequal, subulate, stout all stiff and straight black becoming grey with age.Central spines Single or up to 3, the longer one 3-4 cm long, stoutly subulate, straight-protecting. Under the magnifying glass they are seen to be marked with faint lines.

Ribs

8 to 14 (usually 10), low, broad and abtuse, rounded off towards the top but flattened nearer the base, separated by broad intervals and scarcely tuberculate.

Stem

Sub-cylindrical or ellipsoid (narrowed towards the top and the base), ribbed, arising from a short woody tap-root, 20-60 cm long and, about 7-12 cm in diameter, dirty grey to light green in cultivation, with domed crown, and top of flowering stems filled with masses of soft brown hairs. This appears to be a variable species.

Fruits

Naked, small, 8-10 mm long, green or tinged red.

Habit

Plants, simple or growing in clusters of 2 to 9, usually erect, but when old spreading with ascending tips.

Blooming Season

Spring and summer

Radial Spines

5 to 10, spreading outwards, more or less standing out in a radiating manner, subulate, stout, rigid, straight, 1-1,5 cm long, stout, nearly straight, at first chocolate brown, afterwards becoming greyish; The lower-most, more strongly growing, are

Areoles

Large, broad, almost round, approximate, the adjoining ones usually touching. Young areoles filled with soft brown or black felted wool.