Description of Turbinicarpus saueri ssp. nelissae

T. saueri ssp. nelissae [Click the image for more pictures]
Photo © Mark Faint
Halda and Panarotto, Acta. Mus. Richnov. Sect. natur. 5:161, 1998

Latin: Corpus simplex, globosum, basi napiforme, Ca. 60-70mm latum et 70-80mm longum, pars eius atroviridis, postem brunneo-violacea; tubercula semi-ovalis, quadricostata, usque 3-5mm longa; spinae radiales 8-14, albidae, 0.5-10mm longae; spina centralis 1, curvata, nigra, 10-35mm longa; flos infundibuliformis Ca. 20mm longus; perianthii phyla lanceolata, 10-18mm longa, alba vel lactea, stria media rosea ornata; fructus urniformis Ca. 6mm longus; semen obovoideum, Ca. 1mm longum; testa nigra, tuberculata; hilum albicans, Ca. 0.3mm longum.

Stem single, globose, to 70-80 mm high, to 60-70 mm wide. Root napiform, pulpy and part fibrous. Tubercles semi-oval, complete with four smooth edges, 5 mm long. Dark green epidermis, bronzing at maturity and on plants in full sun. Areoles endowed with abundant white down, which will be lost with ageing. Radial spines, 8-14, white, 5-10 mm long. Central spine, 1, stiff, 10-35 mm long, bright at the base and black at the tip, turned to the apex, slightly curving. The flower, funnel-shaped, is about 20 mm long; petals, lanceolate, 10-18 mm long, white or creamy-white, completed with a pink stripe. The fruit is a berry about 6 mm long, dry at maturity, splitting laterally. Seeds obovate, ca. 1 mm long, testa black, tuberculate, hilum white, ca. 0.3 mm long.

Locality: Bustamante, Tamaulipas, México.

Notes

This taxa was previously known as Gymnocactus saueri "Preenii".

Clarke Brunt has some habitat photos of this taxon on his Mexican homepage.

Related taxa

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

References

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