Accepted Scientific Name: Coryphantha pseudoechinus Boed.
Monatsschr. Deutsch. Kakteen-Ges. 1: 17. 1929
Coryphantha pusilliflora Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Origin and Habitat: El Marte, Sierra de Paila, Coahuila de Zaragoza,Mexico (North America)
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Coryphantha pseudoechinus
Description: Coryphantha pusillifloraSN|10393]]SN|10394]] is a very nice, mostly cylindrical offsetting cactus species, with delicate pink flowers and yellowish later greyish spines. Bremer naming the plant pusilliflora, meaning very small or insignificant, in reference to the tiny magenta flower (usually about 2 cm in diameter). It is sometimes considered a synonym of Coryphantha pseudoechinusSN|10394]]SN|10393]].
Habit: It is a slow-growing, perennial stem succulent, either solitary or branching from the base to form clusters.
Stems: Ovate to short cylindrical, 12 cm tall, 5-6 cm across, rounded and slightly depressed apically, bright green.
Tubercles: Conical, widening basally, becoming rhombic, erect, in rows of 5, 8 and 13. The axils when young with short white wool.
Areoles: White, with the apical (spine-bearing) and axillary parts of the areola connected by a distinct furrows above.
Central spine: One thin, awl shaped, straight, stiff, erect, slightly expanded basally, dark, becoming grey with age, 11-13 mm long.
Radial spines: 18-20, thin, longer than radials, needle-like, somewhat stiff, straight, white to yellow, becoming grey, often with dark tips, 6-10 mm long.
Flowers: Funnelform, magenta with greenish white throats, about 2 cm in diameter or less (rarely up to 3,5 cm across).
Fruits: Oblong, green, fleshy to 14 mm long.
Notes: Coryphantha pusillifloraSN|10394]]SN|10394]] is one of those Coryphanthas which pass a purely radial-spined long youth stage in which they are already floriferous. Most of the plants after some years develop the central spines, giving the plant its sea urchin appearance.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Hernández, H.M. 2013. Coryphantha pseudoechinus. In: IUCN 2013. "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 March 2014.
2) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
3) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
4) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
5) Reto Dicht, Adrian Lüthy “Coryphantha: Cacti of Mexico and Southern USA” Springer, 14/mar/2006
Cultivation and Propagation: In culture Coryphantha pusillifloraSN|10394]]SN|10394]] is without problems, and regularly shows its large yellow flowers. It does best in slight shade, but does well in full sun too. It is sensitive to overwatering (rot prone), and needs a very porous soil with good drainage. It flowers quite early, but needs about 8-12 years to reach the typical, definite outlook. It tolerates fairly low temperatures as long as it is kept dry (hardy to -5° C or less for short periods of time).
Propagation: Propagation is by seed.
