Description
Ariocarpus elongatus differs from the standard Ariocarpus retusus only for its longer and thinner tubercles, all the other characteristics clearly show that they are conspecific.
Taxonomy notes: Ariocarpus retusus is quite variable and has received numerous unnecessary names of no botanical value, representing no more than local phenotypes: Ariocarpus elongatus is one of them. Ariocarpus retusus is one of the largest species that distinguishes for the fat triangular tubercles forming a starry rosette. It is a widespread and extremely variable plant. Tubercle size and shape vary widely, a terminal areole is sometimes present at the tip. The vast amount of phenotypic variation in the species has led to the erection of several variants and has received numerous unnecessary names of controversial botanical value: Ariocarpus elongatus is one of them, but it still has a value for a collector because they identify plants with particular characters.
Habit: Solitary, slow growing geophyte cactus with tubercles slightly projecting above ground level. The flat tuberous body is below the soil.
Stem: Grey, or blue-green, flattened, globose, rounded on top, 3-12 cm high, 10-25 (or more) cm in diameter.
Tubercles: Leaf-like, divergent, becoming attenuate at the apices, not fissured, to 4 cm long, usually 2-2.5 times long than wide.
Areoles: At the tips of the tubercles, rounded, 1-5 mm in diameter only on younger specimens.
Origin and Habitat
Entronque El Huizache, San Luis Potosí, México.
Altitude range: Around 1400-1500 metres above sea level.
Cultivation and Propagation
This species is slow-growing, but certainly not as slow as some other types of cacti. It is of easy cultivation in a well-drained, non-organic, free-draining soil compost, with ample water during the growing season. Use of a weak low-nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season can encourage growth. The main threat to their development is root rot. Ariocarpus should be kept dry whenever there is a threat of cold. The appearance of Ariocarpus can benefit greatly by watering the plants from the bottom. This practice will help to keep the “wool” on the top of the plant from becoming matted or discoloured. It needs light shade to full sun.
Frost Tolerance: Hardy to -10° C
Propagation: It is probably the easiest species of the genus to raise from seed, but will generally take about 6-10 years to reach flowering size, occasionally grafted.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Edward F. Anderson “The Cactus Family” Timber Press, 2001
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Curt Backeberg “Cactus Lexicon” Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated, 1978
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Hiroshi Hirao “Colour encyclopaedia of cacti” Japan 1979 (Japanese language and script)
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Willy Cullmann, Erich Götz (Dozent Dr.), Gerhard Gröner “The encyclopedia of cacti” Portland, OR: Timber Press, 1986
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David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006 ISBN 0953813444, 9780953813445
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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
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