Xerophyte

Description

Escobaria dasyacanthaSN|10222]]SN|10182]] is small nipple Cactus forming solitary (or rarely with 2-5 branches) condensed upright cylinders densely covered with white spines with darker tip. Two subspecies are recognized, the nominate form and subsp. chaffeyi (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor.

Roots

Diffuse or whit a short taproot.

Tubercles

7-8 long, 3-5 mm in diameter, moderately soft.

Flowers

Nearly apical, 15-30 mm, outer tepals pinkish conspicuously fringed with darker pinkish to brown or brownish green midstripes. Stigma lobes are greenish.

Blooming Season

March-July.

Spines

Pure white to brown bristly with pink, red-brown to nearly black tips 26-42 per areole; radial spines 21-31 per areole 6-10 mm long; subcentral spines several, appressed; central spines (4-9 per areole, spreading, straight, longest spines 12-17 mm.

Stem

Spheric, becoming short cylindric in age, 4.5-15 tall 3-6 cm in diameter.

Fruits

Bright red, club-shaped, cylindric, or narrowly ellipsoid, 13-35mm long not very succulent; floral remnant strongly persistent.