Xerophyte

Central Spines

4(-6), radiating, stout, much longer than the radials up to 8 cm long, somewhat unequal, lowermost one longest, more or least stright and pointing downward.

Description

Plant at first solitary, afterwards freely sprouting from the base and often forming great many-stemmed mounds up to 100 cm high and more than 2 m wide. F. flavovirens is similar to Ferocactus robustusSN|21488]]SN|21488]], but it has larger and fewer stems with more numerous ribs and different spines.

Flowers

Borne on young areoles in the centre of the stems, funnelform, yellow to yellowish red, to 3 cm long and 2,5 cm in diameter. The flower-buds are globular with long liner imbricating scales ciliate margins.

Spines

Light brown becoming grey as they age, needle-like.

Ribs

13 (rarely 11 or 12), acute, somewhat sinuate about 1-2 cm tall.

Stem

Globose to cylindrical, light or dull green, 30-40 cm, 10-20 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

12-20, radiating, upper ones sometimes lighter colored and bristle-like.

Fruits

Ovoidal, red upto 2,8 cm long, completely covered with long, brown, ciliate scales with bristle-like tips.

Areoles

2 cm (or more) apart, large greyish and woolly.