Description of Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. major

T. viereckii ssp. major [Click the image for more pictures]

Photo © Mark Faint

Glass and Foster, CASJ(US) Vol 50(6):285, 1978

Latin: A typo discedit habitu mejore, minus caespitoso; areolis minus lanatis, tuberculis majoribus; spinis radialibus paucioribus, robustioribus, longitudine variabilibus; spinis centralibus fuscioribus plus minusve strictis, haud recurvatis; spinis sub-centralibus uniforme presentibus; flore albo, haud roseo, majore; staminibus et segmentibus perianthii plus numerosis; lobis stigmatis majoribus et plus numerosis.

Stem sparingly cespitose, globose to somewhat elongate, 4 to 6.5 cm thick, 6 to 7 cm tall; apex abundantly woolly; areoles with white wool in youth; tubercles 13 to l.5 mm wide at base, ca. 7 mm high, 15 to 18 mm apart. Radial spines 13 to 16, heavy-acicular, 6 to 10 (-12) mm long, lower longer; central spines in cross-formation, lowest ca. 25 to 27 mm long, deflexed, straight to very slightly curved, rigid, laterals ca. 15 mm long, upper somewhat incurved, 18 to 22 mm long; additionally 2 to 4 upper sub central spines consistently present, 5 to 8 mm long, darker and thinner than radials. Flowers 3.5 cm wide, 3 cm long, white; pericarp 4.5 mm in diameter, greenish; perianth-segments ca. 50; outer perianth-segments with tan mid-stripe and entire, white margins, greenish at base; inner perianth-segments pure white, 4 to 4.5 mm wide, tip rounded, somewhat lacerate; stamens numerous; filaments pure white; style white, ca. 13 mm long with 7 to 8 white, 2.5 mm long, spreading stigma lobes, level with anthers.

Locality: South of Mier y Noriega, near border of Nuevo León and San Luis Potosi; also near Presa de Guadalupe, San Luis Potosi.

Related taxa

Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. major is part of the saueri aggregate of taxa, together with the following:

References

Two new varieties of Gymnocactus from North-eastern Mexico, CSJ(US), 50(6): 281-285, 1978.

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