Xerophyte

Seeds

Dark brown, helmet-shaped, shining, with a large depressed hilum, the margins being turned in.

Description

The classical Astrophytum myriostigmaSN|1845]]SN|1845]] is a spineless succulent plant, with a many dotted, usually solitary, stem. A transverse section of the stem reveal a perfect star shaped form (like the common star-fish) giving the plant the appearance of a bishop's mitre (hence the common name Bishop's cap). The variegated form Astrophytum myriostigmaSN|1845]]SN|1845]] f. variegata has sectors, patches or stripes with distinct shades of yellow or orange. All variegates are mutants. Something has gone wrong with the cellular structure of the growth tip (apical meristem) of the plant. As a result of this mutation, chlorophyll is missing from some or all layers of the plant epidermis. The odd variegate appears in many seedling batches in a small percentage (especially among hybrid seeds) and are generally separated from normal plants. Variegated plants grow slower and are generally smaller than non-variegates of the same species. Coloured areas are also generally weaker, and more susceptible to fungus, sunburn and other defects. A large well grown variegate Astrophytum is truly an achievement. These are harder to grow well than they appear. Plants with variegated stems are often attractive and highly prized.

Roots

Fine, fibrous.

Flowers

Funnelform, 4-7 cm long glossy yellow and sweet scented from the areole at the tip of the stem on mature plant. Outer perianth segments narrow, with brown scarious tips. Inner perianth segments numerous, oblong yellow with a silky shine. Scales on ovary tube scaroious, imbricated, very narrow often bristly tipped, with long wool in their axil.

Blooming Season

Flowers appear intermittently throughout the warm months from April to September. Plants may take up to six years to flower.

Spines

Wanting.

Ribs

Usually 5, sometimes 4(or 3) that increase to eight or more with age ( rarely even 10), vertical, regular, deep, prominent, very broad and acute.

Stem

Bright green, yellow and orange, covered with many minute white hairy scales that give it a characteristic chalk-white or silvery-grey appearance, globular to cylindric up to 60 cm tall and 10-20 cm in diameter. The scales are composed of very fine interwoven hairs, which, under a microscope, are very pretty object.

Fruits

2-2,5 cm in diameter, greenish to tannish-red, covered with brown, overlapping scales, with long wool in their axil.

Areoles

Closed together