Xerophyte

Habit

It is a s small depressed perennial stem succulent with age begins to clump around the base and grow oddly. It grows deep seated flat to the ground surface. Only in cultivation plants may have a spherical till columnar shape.

Central Spines

Absent.

Seeds

Comparatively large, blackish and shining, up to 2 mm wide. The seed is shaped strangely for a cactus, and is often described as “hat” or “boat” shaped with a prominent edge. That is a good description, for it is among the few cactus seeds that float! They are thought to be dispersed in habitat by floating away on runoff.

Description

Frailea cataphractoidesSN|3597]]SN|3602]] is a dwarf cactus with unique and remarkably beautiful shape. It is one of the geographical forms of the morphologically variable Frailea cataphractaSN|3602]]SN|3597]] subsp. duchii and is distinguished for the greyish-olive-green bodies (purplish to black in full sun) with very closely set brown areoles and spines up to 4 mm long.

Roots

The rootstock is fleshy, turnip-like, with fine diffuse roots.

Flowers

Apical, diurnal, radial, sulphur yellow from the top of the plant, about 3 cm in diameter. Buds with light brown wool. But don't be disappointed when the easily produced buds fail to open. Fraileas are cleistogamous meaning that their flowers produce seed without even opening. Without the need for pollination, hence the buds rarely reach full bloom and remain closed. They will open only in great heat in the hottest, brightest, afternoon sun, if at all.

Ribs

Up to 25, with scarcely noticeable tubercles only in the new growth, later flatted above and with a more or less evident purple-brown lunate, blots situated below the areoles.

Stem

Spherical-depressed, outdoors red brown to to dirty bronze red, with glass protection greyish-olive-green, up to 3,5 cm in diameter, 2,5 cm tall more or less imbilicate at apex

Radial Spines

8-10 straight or slightly curved inward, very small, only about 2-4 mm long, adpressed, whitish, yellowish grey, amber coloured or reddish brown.

Fruits

Dry indehiscent with scales and bristles that detach easily, pericarp membranous, fragile that break easily releasing the seed.

Areoles

More closely set than in the type, rounded brown almost bare or with brownish or whitish wool.