Xerophyte

Central Spines

Single (often missing), up to 30 mm long.

Seeds

Brown.

Description

Matucana paucicostataSN|6059]]SN|6059]] is a sparse ribbed globular cactus often branching basally to form small clusters. It is one of the smallest Matucana species. The plants mature and start flowering at the size of a nut (3-4 years from seed), and generally do not overgrow the sized of a small apple.

Phenology

Large plants usually produce small bouquets of 5-10 blooms at time, forming pretty crown. Flowering period summer (June–July in northern hemisphere) but in favourable conditions some flowers may appear from early spring to late autumn.

Roots

Short taproots.

Flowers

Very showy, almost vertical on the stem apex, purplish pink to carmine red, funnel shaped, long-necked, slightly curved (zygomorphic), 6 cm and 3 cm in diameter with a tight bunch of filaments around style. Petals, margined, dark vermillion and violet, with gentle changing colour shades, flower tube white hairy.

Spines

Reddish brown, turning grey with age, bended, somewhat flexible.

Ribs

7-11, broad, straight, forming conical tubercles.

Stem

Globose when young slowly becoming short cylindrical, dark grey-green, notched and tubercular, 7-15 cm high, 4-7 cm wide.

Radial Spines

4 to 8, 5-30 mm long.

Fruits

Green, sparse hairy, approximatively 11 mm broad.