Xerophyte

Seeds

Bell- to cap-shaped, coat warty, dull brownish-black.

Description

Rebutia aureifloraSN|4990]]SN|4396]] (also considered a subspecies of Rebutia einsteiniiSN|4396]]SN|4990]]) is a mound-forming , perennial cactus with very large yellow, orange flowers with white throat. It is very variable regarding flowers colour and spination and there are at least fourteen described varieties and forms that in all probability they can all be included within the variation of the one species.

Flowers

Very large, broadly funnel-shaped, about 50 mm long and 45 mm in diameter, typically golden-yellow or orange-yellow with white throat, but sometimes red or purplish. Tube pale brownish-orange, scales small tipped greenish red, with thin flexuous hairs up to 10 mm long and an occasional bristle in the axils. Stigma yellow, style free white. Filaments white. It is self-sterile.

Blooming Season

Late spring.

Spines

15-20, extremely variable not strongly differentiated into centrals and radials.Centrals1-4, bristle-like, rigid, stiff, greyish white to brownish, 10-20 mm long. Radials 10 to16, thinner up to 7 mm long. Seedlings and offshoots on older plants with short spines 6-8 mm long yellowish at first, becoming all white and tipped yellowish-brown. Older plants with extremely long thin flexuous spines up to 50 mm (or more) long, white tipped yellowish-brown.

Ribs

Spiralling, forming distinct about 6 mm tall.

Stem

Globular or almost cylindrical in cultivation, 4-6 cm in diameter, leaf-green often brownish-red deep-purple tinged ,becoming caespitose from the base, eventually forming clumps 10 cm in diameter.

Fruits

Flattened-spherical about 8 mm in diameter, brownish-orange to reddish, densely covered with long hairs.

Areoles

Elliptical with white wool.