Xerophyte

Description

Usually solitary or slowly branching through basal shoots.

Flowers

Bell-shaped 5 cm. long or less on lateral areoles and the segments of the perianth are sulfur- or lemon-yellow (but also white, orange or red), They have very hairy bud, The floral tubes have brown-white hairs /bristles and dark spine-tipped scales,

Spines

5 to 10 radial spines and 1 to 4 central spines, they are all more or less of the same length in a given plant (± 0,5 -3 cm.), but this species appears to be very variable about the length colour and number of spines in different population. They usually are black or light brown at first, becoming grey or whitish-yellow as they ages.

Ribs

About 9-15.

Stem

Spherical in time becomes slightly cylindrical, growing to a height of 12 cm or more, and a diameter of 6 to 10 cm. The epidermis is green to dark blue grey and become clear powdery-grey in the older part of the stem (like some Copiapoa)

Areoles

At the apex of tubercles, at first are covered with yellowish-brown felt. The lower part of the areola is elongated while the upper part curves around the sides of the rib, more or less in the shape of a small shield. As the tubercles widen in the course of growth, the areoles become elliptical and almost glabrous.