Xerophyte

Central Spines

Absent, occasionally 1 , up to 3.5-4 cm long. On the top of the plant the central spines are longer and upright.

Seeds

Globular tuberculate, ca.1.34 mm wide, 1.48 mm high, and 1,15mm thick.

Note

boomianus For Dr. Boudewijn K. Boom (1903–1980), Dutch horticultural botanist at Wageningen University.

Cephalium

Creamy-white, grayish/white to very pale brownish.

Flowers

Night- blooming, white, 9 cm long. The position of the stigma is half-way up the secondary stamens.

Stem

Up to 6(-8) cm tall and 10(-14) cm wide, green to dark green, with 16-20 bumpy ribs.

Radial Spines

10 to 14, more or less arranged in comb-formation, recurved backwards to the plant, at first yellow to light brown, darker tipped, later greyish, ca. 3 cm long.

Fruits

Indehiscent ranging from bright red to white. The fruits have an average of 118 (± 45) seeds.

Areoles

Oval. About 9-10 per ribs in plants with cephalium.