Xerophyte

Description

Tiny geophyte, with a solitary spherical or flattened stem slowly growing atop a thick, underground taproot, with a constriction between the stem and the root. eventually becoming somewhat elongated in cultivation.The forma "viridis" is very similar to the standard species only differs for the stem colour which is a bright grass green and not a dark tannish-brown.

Roots

Forms a tuberous root system with (usually) a very large carrot-like root

Tubercles

Larger than ssp. lembckei;

Flowers

Approx 3,5 cm long, 4-6 cm in diameter, whitish, yellowish, pinkish to pale brick-red with a silky shine, buds densely hairy with brown wool.

Blooming Season

Flowers already when young, synchronised flowering of the whole plants takes place over one or two days, and they remain open for about three or four days. Blossoming time

Spines

Very short black radials.

Stem

Slow growing, up to 3-5 cm across, 2-6 cm tall, green, but more commonly with brown-olive-grey tones.

Areoles

Grey.