Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-4(-6) straight or barely curved, rarely somewhat obscurely hooked at the apex, usually 3 cm. long, rarely up to 4 cm long, otherwise similar to inner radials.

Roots

Fibrous, arising from a short, conical taproot.

Flowers

Closely packed apically in top 2 or 3 young areoles areoles of a rib, one flower to an areole, narrow to broad funnel-form or campanulate, 3-4 cm long, 2-3 cm in diameter or larger, fuchsia-purple, pink, pale yellow, creamy white to white. Pericarpel and tube very short (less than 2 cm long on the whole) with scales producing white woolly hairs and few twisting tan bristles up to 1 cm long in the upper pat of the tube. Tepals lanceolate up to 1,5 cm long, 2 to 3 mm broad, entire, uniformly coloured or slightly lighter near margins, outer segments darker and merging with brown and green tube scales almost black apically. Stamens numerous about 8 mm long, fuchsia purple, whitish at the base, anthers and pollen yellow. Style stout, fuchsia-purple 15-17 mm long, 1,5 mm in diameter in the middle, stigma lobes fuchsia purple about 3 mm long.

Spines

Spines variable, tannish-brown, dull grey-brown or black, somewhat glaucous except at apex turning chalky white or grey as they ages, straight to curved.

Ribs

(8-)10-13(-16) vertical, forming tubercles with chin-like protrusions.

Stem

Globose or semi-globular to elongate (especially in cultivation) 6-15 cm in diameter and 5-8(-15) cm tall, dull dark green, in the sun often tinged with purple.

Fruits

Elongate red, a bit hairy, with seeds loose within, dehiscing by basal pores.

Habit

It is spiny geophytic cactus with solitary (or sometime branching) stems rising barely above ground level (in habitat). It shows a certain degree of variability depending on origin.

Note

The woolliness is greatly influenced by the conditions of culture, at lower light levels the white wool is scarce, while with strong solar radiation the woolly flocks are stronger with a yellowish tint. Furthermore heavy water from beyond flush out the wool, and also the woolliness increases gradually as the plant ages. Though plants with heavy wool covering are somewhat characteristic of this variety, woolly specimens occur naturally throughout Eriosyce taltalensisSN|2853]]SN|3017]] range, and can be encountered in many cultivated specimens. With the exception of the existence of the heavy wool covering, all the other characteristics are very similar with standard Eriosyce taltalensis subs. echinusSN|2861]]SN|2853]], namely size and form of stems, roots, flowers, fruits etc.

Blooming Season

It has several flush of flowers in sequence at different times over an interval of several weeks from late spring/early summer to autumn, with heaviest flowering early and late in the period of time.

Radial Spines

6-12(-20) thin, more or less curved or twisted intergrading with the centrals 3-20 mm long. Outer radials spines (6 to 12 ) often flexuous, straight; Inner radial spines (6-12) thicker more rigid.

Areoles

Sunken, with creamy-white or yellowish felt or wool.