Xerophyte

Central Spines

6 to 12, 20 to 40 mm long.

Description

Eriosyce taltalensisSN|3017]]SN|3017]] subsp. echinusis a solitary, fiercely spined cactus with variable spine size and white wool on top. It distinguishes from the standard Eriosyce taltalensisSN|3017]]SN|3017]] for the stouter fierce spination and flowers that are usually white below, fuchsia red above, and comprises two varieties. var. echinus that has stem tips with short wool and var. floccosa that has stem tips with long tufts of wool.

Flowers

From apical areoles, narrow campanulate or funnel-shaped, about 3 cm in diameter. The colour comprises red, fuchsia, pink, creamy white and yellowish. Floral tube with abundant white wool and twisted bristles. There might be over 50 flowers on a mature specimen (only mature specimens bloom).

Spines

Juvenile specimens have only few spines, but the numbers increase as they get older, and areoles can have over 20 spines on mature specimens. They are straight or curved, dark brown to black, soon becoming chalky-white or greyish.

Ribs

Up to 13, notched, forming tubercles with sunken areoles.

Stem

Globose, 8 to 15 or more cm in diameter and tall ( in cultivation it is subglobose to elongate and may slowly reach an height of 20 or more cm). Dark green, tan to grey-purple tinged stem and conspicuously woolly at apex.Fibrous, arising from a short, conical tap-root.

Radial Spines

6 to 12, 3 to 20 mm long.

Fruits

Reddish, elongate, opening by a basal pore.