Xerophyte

Description

Solitary, slow growing geophyte cactus with tubercles slightly projecting above ground level. The flat tuberous body is below the soil.

Roots

Tap root

Note

Ariocarpus retususSN|2079]]SN|2079]] is an extremely variable species,. Tubercle size and shape vary widely, a terminal areole is sometimes present at the tip. The vast amount of phenotypic variation in the species has led to the erection of several variants

Tubercles

Leaflike, divergent, erect, basally compressed, usually becoming attenuate at the apices, convex or nearly flattened adaxially and often with shallow adaxial undulations or wrinkling, not fissured, 1.5-4cm long, 1-3.5cm wide, nearly as wide as long;

Flowers

Diurnal 4-5cm in diameter., 2-4 2cm long; white to pink (or magenta), occasionally with reddish midribs,

Blooming Season

October

Stem

Grey, or blue-green, flattened, globose, rounded on top, 3-12cm high, 10-25cm in diameter.

Areoles

At the tips of the tubercles, rounded, 1-5mm in diameter often only on younger specimens