Xerophyte

Habit

It is a highly branching cactus that forms large clumps.

Leaves

A most peculiar trait of this plant are the vestigial leaves on young areoles. This is an ancestral trait not manifested in the normal plant. This trait is revealed thanks to a mutation that permits this odd cultivar to show the characteristic of bearing leaves, reminding us of an ancient era when its cacti ancestors were normal leafed plants. “Leaves” are very small, green cone-like, less than 2 mm tall in clusters of 4 to 10 among the spines at the tubercles tip.

Central Spines

Not seen.

Description

Parodia microsperma subs. sanguiniflora f. brevispina (monstruosa)SN|19736]]SN|19736]] is a monstrous plant with short spines that blooms abundantly just as a small specimen. This form reproduces both vegetatively and also by seeds and it is possible to find clones with different degrees of monstrosity or deformity. The flowers shows a great degree of variability too. Maybe we can call it a freak?

Flowers

Blood red, variable, almost normal to more or less monstrous with extremely short petals. The flower's size varies from less than 1 cm in diameter in the more monstrous clones to up to 4 cm. in diameter in the lesser monstrous forms. Filaments of the stamens carmine anthers creamy-white. Stylus reddish, stigma light-pink to nearly white.

Spines

Very short, thin, white, bristly, straight, spreading.

Stem

Globose up to 9 cm tall and wide freely branching and retaining the basic spherical structure with spiralling tubercled ribs.

Fruits

Not seen.