Xerophyte

Habit

Melocactus concinnusSN|11349]]SN|11349]] is one of the dwarfish and more elegant Brazilian tropical specie rarely getting up to 15 cm before maturing and forming a cephalium, (the curious bristly head of the plant, which is a specialised structure in which the flowers and fruits are borne and protected.). Pink buds of flowers sprout around and on top of the cephalium, providing additional colour to the plant.

Central Spines

One, bent upwards, 10-19 mm long.

Description

Melocactus seabraensis is a form of Melocactus concinnusSN|1964]]SN|11349]], but not sufficiently differentiated and considered merely a local variant of the latter (if not the same).

Similar Species

For its small dimension and short recurved spines recurved Melocactus concinnusSN|11349]]SN|11349]] is similar in shape with the Melocactus matanzanusSN|11349]]SN|1964]] of Cuba or Melocactus braunii of Bahia, Brazil)

Cephalium

Fairly short, to 5,5 cm high, 4-9 cm in diameter, with fine, dense, pale pinkish red bristles and cream-coloured wool, which caps the vegetative part of the stem. The cephalia can become extremely hard and thick as these cacti get older.

Pests and Diseases

The roots of Melocactus plants remain shallowly grounded in the soil, and they generally grow in a horizontal direction.

Flowers

Barely to well protruding from the cephalia, deep pink, 20-23 mm long, 6-12 mm in diameter.

Blooming Season

It flowers off and on all summer and spits fruits out constantly after the blossoms wither, apparently they take some time to form.

Spines

At first red, black or yellowish passing to grey with the exception of the darker tips.

Stem

The bodies of the plants are small, shaped like a sphere that has been squashed from above, or hemispherical, grey-green and glaucous, 8-13 cm high, 11-16 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

6-8, recurved, sometimes hooked at the tip, 15-26 mm long.