Xerophyte

Habit

It is a geophyte plant that produces a star-shaped rosette of fleshy, deltoid to hemispheric tubercles, which have no spines and lie almost flat on the soil surface. They are usually solitary, rarely giving rise to side shoots from old areoles, they grow extremely slowly, to 20 cm in diameter.

Roots

Each plant has a large turnip-like taproot, which lies below the soil surface and serves for water storage.

Similar Species

Tubercles

The tubercles, about as long as wide, are closely packed and form a coarse mosaic. Exposed faces of tubercles, deeply fissured on either side of the central areolar groove, are coarsely rugose, and are often sharply angled apically; and with a lateral longitudinal furrow on each side of the tubercle, along the edge.

Flowers

These plants have a woolly crown, from which emerge bright pink-violet flowers up to 2,5-5 cm, 2 times wider than long when fully expanded. Flowers last for 3 to 4 days.

Blooming Season

October, November.

Spines

Short, arranged like the teeth of a comb on the full length of the linear areola, about 2-5 (or more) mm long.

Fruits

white or green, with lots of seed.

Areoles

The areoles are up to 3 mm wide, linear, stretching out to the full length of the tubercle.