Xerophyte

Central Spines

4, forming a cross, stout, yellow, hooked, to 13 mm long.

Seeds

Dark brown, finely tuberculate.

Description

Parodia lauiSN|5781]]SN|5783]] is a small growing, solitary cactus to only 5 cm in diameter with remarkable thick, yellow or amber-coloured spines. It is a orange-red flowered form of Parodia hausteinianaSN|5783]]SN|5781]], which itself has blooms ranging from yellow to orange.P. laui and P. hausteiniana are almost identical, came from the same small area, and it is really difficult to tell the two apart when not in flower so most authors choose to lump them together.

Flowers

Orange to orangew-red, to 10 mm long and in diameter; pericarpels and floral tubes with scales and bristles.

Ribs

About 13, slightly twisted.

Stem

Unbranched, light green, globose to short cylindrical, to 5 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

26-30, thin, radiating, flattened against the stem surface, yellow, becoming whitish with age, to 8(-10) mm long.

Fruits

Egg-shaped, olive green, 3-4 mm long.

Areoles

Round to elliptical with white wool.