Xerophyte

Description

Ancistrocactus pinkavanusSN|787]]SN|31322]] is a small member of the genus Ancistrocactus, which produce big and beautiful flowers. It is is a quasi-geophytic plants that disappear rapidly from sight below the soil surface, dormant even for months, covered by a layer of dust and dirt and also hiding it. Once the rains arrive and the water supply is sufficient to allow a good absorption, it can swell up and appear on the surface. This is largely possible because the stem of this plant, in particular its epigeous portion, can retract for several millimetres, especially in its lower portion, near the neck. This plants is able to survive dormant for several months, hidden below the surface, thanks to its enormous tuberous root, often bi or trifurcate, which often looks disproportionate to the stem.

Roots

Carrot-like, fleshy, soft 5-10 cm long and 3-6 cm wide with secondary root distally, not separated from the stem by a constriction neck.

Juvenile Spines

Young plants have only (6-)8-10(-11), 5-15 mm long radial spines per areole, white with reddish-brown tips. They are quite similar to other cacti, so they can be confused with other Cactaceae, such as juvenile forms of Mammillaria heyderiSN|20805]]SN|20805]] Muel., or Coryphanthas.

Note

After Donald J. Pinkawa; North American botanist, specialist of the flora of the Cuatrociéngas region where the plant was found

Tubercles

Arranged in ribs and spiralled in 8-11 series, conical, rounded 10-18 mm wide, 6-12 mm tall with a conspicuous woolly groove.

Flowers

Its size is unusual for the genus Ancistrocactus, since it can exceed 4 cm in diameter and is able to emerge and open above the spines, thanks to a long pericarpel, adorned with few, big scales. The flowers emerges from the areolar groove. They are funnel-shaped to campanulate, 35-45 mm long, 25-40 mm wide pink, to magenta, The petals are large, silky, over 3 cm long and white with a purplish midstripe. A young plant, 2 cm in diameter, can develop a flower wider than 3 cm. Occasionally some specimens may bloom when they are still showing a juvenile spination, with no central spines.

Spines

Mature specimens develops 4 central spines pink and rigid, not flattened, the lower one occasionally hooked. White to brownish-red, spreading 20-35 mm long.

Stem

Simple, unbranched, 1.5-8 cm tall, 1.5-7 cm wide, glaucous-green.

Fruits

The fruit is large, sometimes 3 cm in length, green or reddish and contains large helmet-like seeds, 1.5-2 mm long, contained in a mucilaginous pulp. Scales greenish-white moon-shaped and papery.

Areoles

Oval to near circular 3-5 mm in diameter, white-woolly.