Description of Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus ssp. rioverdensis

T. schmiedickeanus ssp. rioverdensis [Click the image for more pictures]

Photo © Mark Faint

Gerhardt Frank, Succulenta, 71(2):63-66, 1992.

An English translation of the first description, including plant and seed photographs and comments etc., can be found on the Succulenta home page.

Translated from the German.
Body flat spherical, matt light green, to 35 mm wide and about 15 mm high, directly above a thick tuberous root. Body surface divided in wide-rhombic, very flat tubercles. Areoles round, in new growth with white-wool, later becoming bare. Spines: Central spines 0, radial spines 1-3 (mostly 2), arising from the lower part of the areole, to 12 mm long, strong and hard, tortuous, oblong in cross-section, at the base up to 2 mm wide, slightly split transversely, pale horn coloured.

Flower wide-funnel-shaped, 25 mm long and wide. Pericarpel spherical, 4 mm in diameter, yellowish green. Receptacle funnel-shaped, green, into which the lanceolate sepals merge, these greenish-white, with dark green mid-stripe. Outer petals lanceolate, ending in a thin pointed tip, pure-white, outside with a greenish-brown mid-stripe. Inner petals lanceolate with thin pointed tip, pure-white. Filaments arise from the receptacle wall, beginning from the base, white; Anthers yellow. Style ca. 10 mm long, white with 6 - 7 stigma lobes, these pinkish.

Fruit oval, 5 x 7 mm, at first green, brownish-yellow when ripe and splitting vertically. Seeds rounded pear-shaped, 1.2 x 0.8 mm, Hilum-Micropylar region slopped, which on both sides greatly overhang the Micropylar. Testa black, shiny, with low tubercles, which towards the Hilum-Micropylar region become smaller and flatter.

Locality: Rio Verde, San Luis Potosi, México.

Related taxa

Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus ssp. rioverdensis is possibly part of the klinkerianus aggregate of taxa together with the following:

References

KuaS, 47(8): 1996

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