Xerophyte

Habit

It is a small disk-shaped solitary or slowly clumping cactus, dichotomy also observed.

Description

Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanusSN|12648]]SN|12648]] subs. klinkerianus var. lilnkeuiduus (a.k.a. “lilinkeuidus” or “lilinkioides”) is a trade name used to indicate a plant of unknown origin. Plants so-named are known in cultivation in the USA and material has found its way to Europe. It is nothing else than a form of Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanusSN|12648]]SN|12648]] subs. klinkerianus. The differences with other “klinkerianus” are in reality very minimal (if none) and most botanist agree on the fact that “lilnkeuiduus” should be included in the “klinkerianus”, and the two plants are not readily distinguishable, if not for the label.

Roots

Taproot.

Tubercles

1 cm broad and 6 mm high, pyramidal, angular and somewhat keeled, rhomboid at the base, arranged in flat spirals.

Flowers

Apical, funnel shaped, inside ivory, outside with darker brown (or magenta) midribs 14-25mm wide. This plant is capable of blooming when it is little larger than 1 cm in diameter.

Blooming Season

Summer (May-October) flowering.

Spines

2-3, the lower one longer, up to 1 cm, the 2 upper ones only on young areoles, flattened below, curved towards the apex, grey-brown with dark tip, newly emerged centrals blackish brown, corky, rather soft, with transverse fissures. Juvenile radial spines are feathery and very characteristic.

Stem

Globular depressed, 30-50 mm high, 35-40 mm wide, pale grey to greenish-brown, apex with some white wool.

Fruits

Green-brown with a woolly top.

Areoles

on the tip of the tubercle, with a little wool, soon becoming bare.