Xerophyte

Central Spines

Several (usually 4), thicker, sometimes flat, about 3 cm long, and brown to black with yellow tips, one often stouter than the other.

Seeds

Black, rugose, about 1,5 mm in diameter.

Description

Lobivia shaferi is a clustering species with many basal and lateral offshoots and huge yellow flower. It is very spiny and produces large pale yellow flowers, but shows a certain degree of variability depending on origin.

Flowers

4-6 (or more) cm long. They are pale-yellow to bright lemon-yellow. Buds are very hairy covered by long silky hairs and grow laterally from the centre of the stem. The tube is slightly curved, funnel-shaped, slender and a greenish white, with liner to ovate-linear scales often red at the base, with white and black down. Style greenish white, stigma cream coloured (rarely greenish).

Blooming Season

Blooms in flushes in late spring and occasionally in summer. The flower lasts one or two days only.

Ribs

About 10 very low, laterally compressed.

Stem

Dark green to greys-green globular, becoming cylindric reaching a height 5-15 cm and a diameter of 2 - 4 cm or more.

Radial Spines

6 to 15 about 1-1,5 cm long, rigid, acicular, pointing outward white to brown.

Fruits

Orangish, dehishent with white pulp.

Areoles

Closely set often brown on young plants.