Xerophyte

Seeds

0.37-0.69 mm long,0.42-0.69 mm thick, ovoid, opaque, dark brown.

Description

Aztekium valdeziiSN|4247]]SN|25623]] is a tiny e cactus species just about 2-6 cm tall in habitat, the plants are star-shaped when viewed from above simple or branched from the base. When blooming, a single nine-petal flower, white in the centre changing to bright magenta on the outside, tops off each plant. Aztekium valdeziiSN|4248]]SN|25623]] is the third species of Aztekium in the family of cacti.

Roots

Simple, fibrous, thickening at the boundary with the stem.

Similar Species

Aztekium valdezii is very distinguishable from both Aztekium ritteriSN|25623]]SN|4248]] and Aztekium hintoniiSN|25623]]SN|4247]], in a few aspects, it separates from the first species by having only a maximum of 5 ribs, the lack of inter-ribs (false ribs) between the main ribs and the size and colour of perianth segments; while it differs from A. hintonii in the smaller body size, the maximum number of ribs (up to 10 in A. hintonii) and also the size and colour of perianth segments.

Note

The species name is given in honor of Biol. Mario Alberto Valdéz Marroquín who discovered the plannt in the state of Nuevo Leon in 2012.

Flowers

Apical, funnel shaped, 10-19 mm long, 15-25 mm in diameter. Pericarp naked. Outer segments, up to 7 mm in length, up to 2 mm in diameter, elliptical, with acute apex, white in the proximal parts and light or intense magenta in the distal parts. Inner segments upto 11 mm in length, up to 4 mm in diameter, oblanceolate, with rounded apex, deep pink or magenta, and white only the proximal third. Stamens up to 4 mm long, white, anthers are yellow. Style up to 10 mm long, stigma lobes 4-5.

Blooming Season

Late spring and early summer.

Spines

3(-4), abput 6-11 mm long, flattened, papyraceous, curved and twisted toward the apex of the plant, present only in the upper half of the stem.

Ribs

Mostly 5, margin rounded in cross section, with even and regular horizontal rib-like formations formed by the compressed tubercles from the apex to the base, without secondary inter-ribs (false ribs).

Stem

Globose, 1- 6 cm tall, up to 6 cm in diameter, greenish-grey.

Fruits

Rounded, naked, after breaking up with a dehiscent pericarp, irregular with age.

Areoles

Closely set, 1 mm across, covered with yellowish-white hairs only in young areoles.