Xerophyte

Central Spines

1 to 4 strong, usually straight, subulate, up to 1,5 cm long, of the same colour of radials.

Description

Acanthocalycium ferrariiSN|45]]SN|45]] is a solitary very spiny globular cactus that produces flowers that can be orange, red or yellow. It is rather rare in collections. The taxon name comes from Greek akantha (meaning prickly) and kalyx (meaning buds), which refers to the spines on the floral tubes.

Note

Acanthocalycium ferrariiSN|45]]SN|45]] is similar to Acanthoclycium thionanthum, but its stems are less grey, more flattened and never cylindrical (in habitat), moreover it lives at lower elevation in a different climate.

Flowers

5,5 cm long, 5 cm in diameter, carmine red, orange or yellow.

Ribs

Up to 18, rounded, enlarged at areoles.

Stem

Up to 12 cm in diameter, globular to somewhat depressed-spherical (often more cylindrical in cultivation), usually unbranched, green or greyish-green.

Radial Spines

Typically 9, up to 2 cm long in four pairs spreading laterally with an odd one pointing downward (but sometime with 1 to 3 small additional spines on the upper part of the areole) creamy-white, horn coloured or yellowish often with brownish-red tips.

Fruits

Oval, to 10 mm long and 8 mm broad.

Areoles

Oval, whitish.