Publication: Succulenta (Netherlands)
Description
Discocactus zehntneri subs. araneispinus, also considered just a form of Discocactus zehntneri, is a squat tiny little solitary plant that - in culture - produces just like Discocactus boomianus many offsets.
Stem: Dull-green 10-20 in diameter and 7-10 cm tall. Cephalium: Up to 1 cm tall and -4 cm wide, at the apex of the plant, creamy-withe to light-brown with yellow to brownish bristles up to 2 cm..
Ribs: About 20, somewhat spiraled, forming nipple-like tubercles to 1 cm high.
Areoles: Oval, sunken, ca. 8 per ribs.
Radial spines: Interlacing, densely covering the plant, 10 to15 up to 1-2 cm long, pectinate, flexible spines creamy white or whitish-yellow with dark tips, becoming pale-brown to whitish, recurved backwards, sitting on the plant like spiders.
Central spines: None.
Flowers: White, scented, slender funnelform, up to 9 cm long. The position of the stigma is at the top of the stamens. Each flowering lasts only one night, but that night it produces many flowers.
Fruits: Club-shaped red 2,5 cm long. The plant produces seed-pods twice a year, when it flowers.
Remarks: This plant is part of the Discocactus zehentneri complex which comprises several variable subordinates taxa, but not all are universally recognized.
Origin and Habitat
Southern Brazil (altitude around 1000-1200 mt )
Cultivation and Propagation
Discocactus araneispinus is the easiest species of the genus to grow, but even so it isn’t a plants for beginners, in fact collectors consider the Discocactus to be rarities with requires skilful cultivation. It is rather difficult to grow and frost tender, it can’t stand cold, or even fairly cool temperatures and should be kept at above 15° C if grown on its own roots (8°C if grafted). Need full sun or afternoon shade. They are slow growing and very rot prone when kept on their own roots and though they can’t endure long stretches of total dryness, too much water will rot them, as their weak root systems tend to be inefficient at sucking up water from wet soil. They generally resent being repotted and can take a long time to establish. When grown to maturity, however, it possess an exotic look shared by no other cacti, and it generally attract a lot of attention.
Propagation: Seed or cuttings. Young seedlings are generally grafted on a low stock to keep the plant in a good shape.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
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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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David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006
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