Xerophyte

Habit

It stays usually solitary, but sometimes branches forming small dense clumps.

Seeds

About 1 mm long, kidney-shaped, pitted, brown, with hilum lateral.

Description

Escobaria orcuttiiSN|10358]]SN|10358]] var. macraxina is one of the local or morphological form of Escobaria orcuttiiSN|10358]]SN|10358]]. Typically this variety has stems up to 9 cm in diameter and as many as 22 central spines, and as many as 52 radials up to 25 mm long; The central spines are long, red or brown tipped and contrasts nicely with the white radial spines. It is simply a larger, long-spined morphological form with spines obscuring the stem and giving the plant a pale brownish appearance. The flowers are rose-coloured.

Phenology

Flowering occurs in spring (April to May in habitat). Fruit are persistent into autumn.

Tubercles

8-12 mm long, on mature stems with upper surface bearing a groove.

Flowers

Diurnal, rose-coloured, not opening widely to 1,2-2 cm in diameter. Perianth segments pale yellowish to pinkish , usually with midribs darker

Blooming Season

Blooms in early summer. Flowers open during the afternoon and only stay open for two hours or so.

Spines

Not well differentiated as centrals and radials.Central spines 9-22, thicker, white with dark purplish or brownish tips, 9-22 mm long, often brittle and breaking readily at the touch.

Stem

Individual stems cylindrical, to 15 cm high and 4-6(-9) cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

30-52, white, slender, spreading and 8-25 mm long.

Fruits

Elongate, 1,5-2 cm long, green to somewhat reddish.