Xerophyte

Central Spines

None.

Description

Discocactus zehntneriSN|12932]]SN|12925]] is a squat tiny little solitary plant. Two subspecies are recognized, the typical form and subsp. boomianus (Buining & Brederoo) N.P.Taylor & Zappi. Both subspecies - in culture - produce many offsets.

Note

This plant is part of the D. zehentneri complex which comprises several variable subordinates taxa, but not all are universally recognized.The ssp. zehntneri Looks very much like Discocactus albispinusSN|12925]]SN|12932]]. They grow in the same area - Serra de Cabaluda- but D. zehntneri is smaller and has straighter spines than D. albispinus, also its shape is more globose.

Cephalium

Up to 1 cm tall and -4 cm wide, at the apex of the plant, creamy-withe to light-brown with yellow to brownish bristles up to 2 cm..

Flowers

White, scented, slender funnelform, 2 to 9 cm long. The position of the stigma is at the top of the stamens. Each flowering lasts only one night, but that night it produces many flowers.

Chromosome Number

2n = 22

Ribs

About 20, somewhat spiraled, forming nipple-like tubercles to 1 cm high.

Stem

Dull-green 10-20 in diameter and 7-10 cm tall.

Radial Spines

Interlacing, densely covering the plant, 10 to15 up to 1-2 cm long, pectinate, flexible spines creamy white or whitish-yellow with dark tips, becoming pale-brown to whitish, recurved backwards, sitting on the plant like spiders.

Fruits

Club-shaped red 2,5 cm long. The plant produces seed-pods twice a year, when it flowers.

Areoles

Oval, sunken, ca. 8 per ribs.