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Notocactus orthacanthus
(Syn: Parodia mammullosa)
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Notocactus orthacanthus
 The blooms are a shining lemon-yellow.
 

Description: Usually single stemmed, perennial, succulent.
Stem: Large, spherical, up to 15cm in diameter with flattened apex, and with a dark-green to bluish-green epidermis.
Ribs: Approx. 18, vertical, well defined, forming large, distinct, pointed tubercles with chin-like protrusion.
Areoles:
Between tubercles.
Radial spines: About 12, up to 1 cm long, needle-like, whitish, radiating flattened against the stem, interlacing.
Central spine: One, dark, strong, up to 2 cm long stinging.
Flowers: 5 cm (or more) in diameter, shining lemon-yellow, in rare cases also orange or reddish with dark purple-red stigma.  Pericarpel and floral tubes short and broad, with dense wool and few bristles. 
Blooming season: Spring.  It will usually flower within 3 to 5 years.
Fruit:  Globose, elongating at maturity, thin-walled.
Seeds: Bell to helmet-shaped, with corky hilum, brown and finely tuberculate.
Flowers: Lemon-yellow .

Note: This plant was first described as Echinocactus orthacanthus  by Link and Otto, in 1827, when most globular Cacti were called Echinocactus. Latter, in 1954, it was moved into the genus Malacocarpus, by Herter, to become Malacocarpus orthacanthus  and then more recently (when van Vliet re-discovered plants in Uruguay that matched with the original description) was renamed again, in 1970, as Notocactus orthacanthus by Van Vliet, when the genus Malacocarpus was reduced to a subgenus of Notocactus.

 


The stigma is dark purple-red.
 

The
central spines are short, but very stout, short, and stinging.


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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific name:  Notocactus orthacanthus (Link et Otto1827) Van Vliet 1970
In: Succulenta 49 (11) : 185-190

Origin Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Uruguay

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:  
  • Parodia mammulosa 'orthacanthus'
  • Notocactus mammulosus (Lehm.) Berg.
  • Notocactus mammulosus var. orthacanthus
  • Parodia orthacantha
  • Wigginsia orthacantha (Link & Otto) Backeberg
  • Notocactus  orthacanthus (Link & Otto) Hert. = status doubtful.
  • Malacocarpus orthacanthus
  • Echinocactus orthacanthus


The
central spines are short, but very stout, short, and stinging.
 

 


Cultivation:
It is easy to grow.  It  prefers a neutral to slightly acidic mineral-based potting mix with a good drainage. It likes a warm bright location, does great in partial shade but doesn't like full, hot blazing sun in the central summer month. Can support quite some water during the growing season but pot plants in winter are wet-sensitive and needs to be rather kept dry  (rots easily if soil is wet and cold) tends to lose its roots in winter. Usually it is recommended to over-winter this plant in a bright and warm greenhouse with at least 8-10° C , but it has proved to tolerate temperatures as low as -5° C for short periods.  

Propagation: Seeds, cuttings  or root suckers (if available). Not too difficult to raise from seed.


Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars
of plants belonging to the Parodia (Notocactus) mammullosa complex
(This Taxon has lots of synonyms whit several controversial varieties and subspecies and comprises a multitude of different forms, but where each form is linked to others by populations of plants with intermediate characteristics):

Photo gallery: Alphabetical listing of Cactus and Succulent pictures published in this site.

Photo gallery NOTOCACTUS

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.