Xerophyte

Seeds

Large and black 1 to 1.4 mm long.

Description

Obregonia is among the most famous of all cacti for is unique artichoke-shaped stem. It is the only representative of its monospecific genus and is related to Ariocarpus. It grows almost always as a solitary plant levelled with the ground, with the sunk and woolly apex. It is considered an intermediate form between Ariocarpus and Lophophora.

Roots

Thick taproot.

Tubercles

Arising in a rosette, not imbricate, arranged in a spiral, deeply cut like an artichoke, triangular, prominent, leaf like, flat above, keeled below and with a basal ridge.

Flowers

The flowers grow between the wool of the apex, in the centre of the stem on young tubercles, they are funnel-shaped white diurnal, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, 2.5-3 cm long. External perianth segments greyish, pericarpel naked or with few scales. Filaments reddish purple or pink, anthers yellow, style white and stigma lobes white.

Blooming Season

Summer.

Spines

2 to 4 whitish to brown about 5 to 15 mm long in the young tubercles, ± soft flexible, slightly curved and often rapidly shedding.

Stem

Solitary, globular-squashed resembling an inverted pine cone with a woolly centre, it grows up to 15 (or more) cm in diameter and is greyish green to dark green.

Fruits

Hidden in the wool, pear-shaped, white naked, fleshy and edible that dry when mature. The withered flowers remaining attached.

Areoles

Small at the tips of the tubercles, with wool when young.