Xerophyte

Central Spines

2-4 (only in mature specimens), rigid, stiffly pointed, strongly projecting, one of them strongly curved, sometimes straight, whitish, clear brown, tan or black, 13-24 mm long.

Description

Coryphantha werdermanniiSN|10432]]SN|10432]] is a dwarf cactus with juvenile globose body which became ovoidal as it age. The outstanding feature of this species is an abrupt and contrasting change from the juvenile aspect with dense, flattened, white spines and a smooth appearance to the adult with additional, dark, protruding spines and a ‘fierce’ appearance.

Roots

Very fine fibrous that extend just a few millimetres below the ground surface, probably they also serve the absorption of dew in this region poor of precipitations.

Note

This member of the Cactaceae family was given this name by Prof. Dr. Erich Werdermann (1892–1959), German botanist in Berlin, specialist on cacti and former director of the Botanischer Garten und Museum Berlin.

Tubercles

Conical to cylindrical, ascending, firm, to 15 mm long, axils naked.

Flowers

Quite large, often glossy pale yellow at first becoming pink with a red throat, to 5 cm long, 5-7 cm in diameter on mature specimen.

Stem

Usually single, flattened at first, then more egg-shaped, 7-9 (-30) cm tall, and about 6-7(-8) cm in width. Epidermis pale grey-green. Woolly at the apex. Old plants tend to be column-shaped with occasionally offsets growing from the sides.

Radial Spines

(15-)21-25(-30) (depending on plant’s age), whitish, greyish-white to tan 6-19 mm long, more or less pectinate, thin.

Fruits

Green, to 10 mm long.

Areoles

Elliptical with white wool.