Xerophyte

Habit

It is a slow-growing, spherical, perennial succulent, either solitary or forming groups of about 10 or more stems.

Central Spines

Usually 3 (sometime more), black or whitish with black tips, or sometimes black throughout, up to 15 mm long, the two upper more or less erect, the lower one porrect or curving downward.

Seeds

Brown, shining, broader at apex than below.

Description

Coryphantha pallidaSN|10262]]SN|10262]], as specified by epithet states, is characterized by “pallid” flowers.Two subspecies are recognized, the typical form and susbp. calipensis (Bravo ex Arias, U.Guzmán & S.Gama) Dicht & A.Lüthy.

Note

Coryphantha pseudoradiansSN|10263]]SN|10263]] usually without central spines grows only a few kilometers to Tejupan where Coryphantha pallidaSN|10262]]SN|10262]] grows with its normal number of central spines from 0-3 and as this link and the otherwise identical features of C. pseudoradians and C. pallida prove, it is impossible to differentiate between these taxa.

Tubercles

Close set, short, thick and rhomboid at the base in 13 rows, , up to 10 mm long. Axils at first woolly, becoming bare.

Flowers

Pale lemon yellow very large, often 6-7 cm long and in diameter. Outer perianth -segments narrow, greenish yellow, with a reddish stripe on back. Inner perianth-segments pale lemon-yellow, broader than outermost, acuminate. Ovary bearing a few narrow scales. Stamens deep red, numerous. Style yellow, longer than stamens, stigma-lobes 9.

Stem

Globose to obovate, short and thick, closely set, glaucous-grey-green, 8-12 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

20 or more, slightly bent, flattened against the stem surface, white.

Fruits

Greenish brown, to 20 mm long.