Xerophyte

Leaves

Fleshy subulate, conical, ovoid to linear, round or elliptical in cross section, green, 2-6 mm long, 1.5-3 mm in diameter, with acute tips.

Seeds

Round, 3 to 4 mm in diameter.

Description

Maihuenia patagonicaSN|30848]]SN|30848]] is a low to strongly domed cushion-forming, densely spiny cactus, 20-40(-100) cm high and one to several metres across. The white or violet booms are produced at stems tips on short spur shoots.

Roots

It has a 40 cm long, below-ground storage structure (taproot)

Flowers

Bell-shaped, 28 to 55 mm in diameter, usually borne terminally on short spur shoots, usually white, pale pink or bluish-pink, also reported as red.

Blooming Season

It flowers in late spring or early summer (January and February in habitat).

Spines

Weak, hardly pungent, mostly white but also greenish, yellowish, grey or reddish. Central spine one, more rigid, 3-7.5 cm long. Lateral spines 2, rarely one or absent, sometimes inconspicuous, 2-8 mm long, sometimes flattened against the surface.

Stem

Lax, not segmented, elongated, to 40 cm long, 1-2 cm in diameter, much branched, with numerous knoblike to cylindrical spur shoots.

Fruits

Oblong, subglobose or club shaped, 20 to 40 mm long, semi-dry at maturity, yellowish green appearing in summer. Leaves on the ovary ovate to lanceolate, fleshy, naked in their axils, except some of the upper ones.

Areoles

Young areoles bears white hairs.