Xerophyte

Central Spines

1, 2.5 -4 cm long .

Seeds

Black.

Description

Echinopsis maximiliana subs. westii (firstly described as Lobivia westiiSN|13479]]SN|13479]] by Hutchison in 1954 ) is a local or morphological form of the widespread and variable Echinopsis maximilianaSN|13469]]SN|13469]]. At fist solitary it will soon start to branch at the base, older plants forms dense, large mats with straw-coloured spines, sprinkled brown. Is has a predominantly honey-coloured, orange or red flower with pale yellow throat and sometime violet tipped petals. Flower colour, as elsewhere in the genus is quite variable. However the distinguishing characteristics of the subspecies westii, appear to fall within the natural variation of Echinopsis maximiliana and it is often synonymized with the latter.

Roots

Not beet-like.

Flowers

Lateral, narrow funnel-shaped, 4-7 cm long. Inner perianth segments narrowly obovate abruptly acute spreading brilliant orange/golden-orange, outer perianth segments very colourful orange-red and often violet coloured. Throat white-yellow. The tube is greenish to reddish up to 4 cm long. Stamen and style short

Spines

Needle-like, yellow, amber or brown, unequal and somehow curved backward .

Ribs

16-18 spiral notched-tuberculate.

Stem

Flattened globular (often elongated in cultivation), somewhat umbilicate at apex, bright green 5-15(-20) cm long, 5 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

Around 8, up to 9 mm long.

Fruits

Globular, dull green, reddish or maroon, woolly 1-2(-4) cm long and in diameter.

Areoles

With dull white wool, ± 2 cm apart.