Eriosyce paucicostata ssp floccosa is reportedly known only from the region of Blanco Encalada in the coastal mountains of Antofagasta, Chile. It has been known under many synonyms, especially Neoporteria floccosa and Neochilenia floccosa.

This young specimen has white spines and wool obscuring the green body. Some individuals are not covered quite so completely.

Flowers have the appearance of antique paper, with the outer petals a darker pink, fading to pale pink for the inner petals.

Eriosyce paucicostata ssp floccosa are noted for long hairs under the flowers. Full grown plants look somewhat different, but the plant pictured in habitat is just as completely covered by long spines, wool, and hairs. (This photo is at cactushabitat.com.)

Eriosyce paucicostata ssp floccosa in habitat from http://cactushabitat.com/Chile/AntofagastaRegionII/Botijavalley/neoporteriafloccosa.html

Continuing the theme of “odd miniatures”, Copiapoa hypogaea is a spiral, brown or bronzed disc-shaped cactus, 3 or 4cm in the wild or larger 7cm in cultivation.

The pictured plant shows the larger, luxurious, 7cm size of its cushy lifestyle. In habitat, most of the body is under the ground’s surface. Spines are small and relatively harmless. Some individuals lack spines entirely. Flowers are yellow and reportedly somewhat fragrant, though I didn’t notice much fragrance wafting from the pictured plant.

More unusual is the ‘Lizard Skin’ variety with a wrinkly epidermis found in only one of the two subpopulations of C hypogaea in the wild. Pictured here is the more typical variety.

Native to area near Chañaral (Coastal Chile, 02 Antofagasta).

Active today is this lovely Coryphantha palmeri, native to Chihuahua, Durango, and Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Reported used in shamanic rituals, Coryphantha palmeri makes a nice container specimen, too.

I’ve had mixed results with genus Astrophytum. I’ve lost some of these cacti to mysterious, chunk-devouring pests—I suspect rats, but it could be squirrels or birds. I’ve lost others to rot… perhaps underwatering, dead roots, and then rot growing on the dead roots.

This individual Astrophytum cv ‘Onzuka’ is doing really well so far. It overshadows its 3-inch pot with a full 3.5-inch diameter. I’ll repot it soon. I’ve heard from an advanced grower that he cuts off the taproot at a certain age, forcing the stem to grow smaller, less rot-prone roots. Sounds radical but I seem to recall he claimed everyone in Japan does this.

It’s hard not to like Astrophytum cv ‘Onzuka’. It has strange, white-speckled skin, its body is oddly geometric, and its flower is understated but beautiful.

Speaking of Japan, that’s where this justifiably popular cultivar of Astrophytum myriostigma is said to originate.

Bolivian cactus Rebutia neocumingii was known under genus name Weingartia from its description by Backeberg in 1950 until Weingartia was combined under Rebutia by Hunt in 1987. Its flowers can be yellow, orange or red depending on locality. It’s normally solitary and unbranched, though the individual pictured is sprouting additional heads. Typically this species has much longer spines; this plant was obtained as form brevispina. It is about 7.5 cm across; at full growth, it can reach 10cm across and up to 20cm in height.

Turbinicarpus valdezianus is one of the smallest and slowest-growing cactus—small even within genus Turbinicarpus, not known for their tremendous size. The diminutive body is the size and shape of a thimble. The spines are minute, almost microscopic, and flattened against the body in harmless tight formation—more like scales than armament. Flowers are pink, often striped; occasionally white.

Turbinicarpus valdezianus is found in Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León, and Zacatecas.

Turbinicarpus valdezianus showing more of body

Correction: The plant was originally identified as Turbinicarpus valdezianus. A fallen label was discovered, and this plant is the related Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus.

This week Parodia buiningii takes us to South America. Each plant is an excuse to learn more about botany and geography, bouncing from continent to continent as the inspiration strikes. A succulent species represents millions of years of adaptation to specific ecological pressures in Mexico or the rest of North America, Africa, Madagascar… or this week, Uruguay and Brazil.

Parodia buiningii is also known by its synonym Notocactus buiningii. (All Notocactus species have been included under the genus Parodia, where they form a distinct clade: a group of related plants with evidence of descending from a common ancestor.) 

Parodia buiningii is one of the most handsome members of the group formerly known as genus Notocactus: geometric ribs, glaucous blue-green skin, and needle-sharp spines the color of tortoise shell. This Parodia buiningii has advanced flower buds with characteristic brown wool. They look almost like fuzzy antlers on a young deer or strange rabbit ears. The flowers will be yellow. This individual is probably a few years old and measures approximately 3 inches across.

Notocactus buiningii grown and photographed by Mr Sentient Meat

Which country is it really from, you ask—Uruguay or Brazil? Well, Parodia buiningii is found near the unusual dual-nationality city: Rivera, the capital of the Rivera Department of Uruguay and (Santana do) Livramento, a city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In an uncommon arrangement, citizens of either country within the city can cross the border freely. Customs and checkpoints are located outside the city.

Parodia buiningii is reportedly rare in its habitat, the environs of these twin cities, Rivera, Uruguay, and Livramento, Brazil.

Closeup of same Notocactus buiningii grown and photographed by Mr Sentient Meat

Called “brain cactus”, the genus Stenocactus hails from Mexico. It’s distinguished by its wavy ribs. Also called Echinofossulocactus, this genus varies widely in size, spination, and number of ribs.

Today’s species, Stenocactus multicostatus (“many-ribbed”) enjoys wide distribution in Mexico: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo Léon, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas. True to its name, it seldom has fewer than 120 ribs. Notice the flat, stout central spines.

Stenocactus multicostatus

Within that natural variation, this individual shows flowers typical of stenocactus: short, funnel- or bell-shaped; white with purple-pink midstripe.

Stenocactus multicostatus flowers seen from above

See Also

Stenocactus multicostatus at Cactus-Art.Biz

Even if you limit yourself to the most seductive cacti from genus Mammillaria, you still have dozens of strange and wonderful plants to choose from. Mammillaria pectinifera (Latin for “comb-bearing”) has such minute, harmless spines that they appear like legs on tiny bugs—reminiscent of the spines on Mammillaria hernandezii (profiled previously). The spine beds are elongated vertically, like so many miniature millipedes marching in tight formation.

Surprisingly, Mammillaria pectinifera is most closely related to M. carmenae (which looks completely different; also profiled on Sentient Meat), M. glassii, M. picta, M. plumosa, and M. prolifera. Together these species plants form a clade, a group of types likely descending from a common ancestor. They differ markedly from each other in size, spines, and other features.

Mammillaria pectinifera, endangered miniature cactus native to Puebla, Oaxaca. Plant grown and photographed by Mr Sentient Meat

My plant is just over an inch in diameter. This is its first bloom under my care. The flowers are an elegant pale pink. Overall the plant is neat and understated in appearance.

Mammillaria pectinifera, same plant viewed close up, plant grown and photographed by Mr Sentient Meat

Mammillaria pectinifera‘s appeal may be its downfall. It has reportedly been collected nearly to extinction within its native Puebla, Oaxaca, Mexico. Consequently, it’s protected under CITES I, the most stringent protocol of international protection.

Like last week’s copiapoa, this week’s eriosyce comes from Chile on South America’s arid Pacific coast. Eriosyce senilis ssp. senilis has long, curly white spines resembling a scraggly old beard. It hails from the Rio Choapa valley in the Coquimbo region of Chile.

Eriosyce senilis starting full bloom

This individual has a dark maroon body—about 3 inches wide—which contrasts strongly with the long, white spines. Frilly shocking-magenta flowers emerge like trumpets.

Eriosyce senilis flower closeup