Xerophyte

Description

Gymnocalycium spegazzinii var. unguispinumSN|26140]]SN|26140]] is a depressed globular cactus distinguished from the type species for its very short spine clusters. The var. unguispinum (sometime labelled as form, subspecies or cultivars) is a rare, naturally occurring, mutant collected and selected for particular characters. Typically it has only 5 short spines less than 1 cm long, these are stout, subulate, eagle claw-shaped, typically-twisted and curved gracefully outward and downward. The name 'unguispinus' is not accepted by botanists that treat it as synonym (or cultivars), but it has a value for a collector because they identify plants with particular characters.

Ribs

13, broad and low, rounded on the margin.

Stem

Depressed, globular, about 6 cm high, 14 cm in diameter, grayish green.

Areoles

Elliptic.