The flowers last briefly, they are fully expanded at high noon (if in brilliant sunlight), and wilt after only an hour or two. They bloom from April through August.
Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)
Scientific name: Coryphantha pseudonickelsae Backeberg
in: Blatter Sukkulentenk. 1. 8 (1949)
Origin: Mexico (Durango)
Habitat:
Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.
Taxon synonyms:
- Mammillaria delaetiana A. Berger
In: Kakteen (Berger) 270, 339. 1929 - Coryphantha indiensis
In: Cact. Succ. Mex. 22(4):75, 1977
Description: Mostly branched with age, forming clumps.
Stems: Lime green, 6 cm in diameter, 5-7 cm tall, apex depressed with white wool.
Roots: Fibrous.
Tubercles: Conical, later rounded pyramidal, strongly elongated upward, with a pronounced groove on upper surface, dimension about 1-1,2 cm long, width at the base 15 mm. Parastichy number 8-13.
Axil: Woolly only near the stem apex.
Areoles: Round, ± 2 in diameter with white wool in youth.
Radial spines: 14-18, grey-white, radiating, horizontal to slightly protruding, straight, acicular up to 1,6 cm long largely obscuring the stem, upper 2-3 more closely set, lower ones horn coloured, upper ones brownish coloured later turning grey from the base.
Central spines: 1, sometime appearing very late, often not in all areoles, at first black, then grey-white and spotty, whit black tip. 15-20 mm long, porrect, curved downward, thick and stiff.
Roots: Diffuse or short taproots.
Flowers: Nearly apical, funnelform, 3,5 cm wide, pale yellow (sometimes pinkish and proximally reddish). Perianth segment entire, lanceolate, the outer one with a reddish midstripe.
Fruits: Green, ovoid, slimy; floral remnant strongly persistent, fruiting 2-4 months after flowering.
Seed: Reniform, brown 1,5 x1 mm wide, testa reticulate.NOTE: This species is one of those Coryphanthas which pass a purely radial-spined youth stage in which they are already floriferous.
Cultivation: In cultivation it is quite sensitive to over-watering (rot prone), and needs good drainage. Keep drier in winter. Like other species from the USA. it blooms quite early, but needs about 8-10 years to reach the typical, definite outlook. It needs full sun; and is hardy to -16° C or less for short periods of time
