Coryphantha sulcolanata
(Syn: Coryphantha elephantidens)

Coryphantha sulcolanata is  very similar (if not the same plant) to C. elephantidens
but the flowers are always yellow and never pink.

Description: Large, depressed-globular cactus, often clumping and group-forming, each head is up 18cm in diameter, very large tubercles 20-30 (60) mm wide, rounded on top, pentaedrical at the base, always broader than rounded , without glands, the tubercles axil is woolly.
Spines: The tubercles are capped with a 5-8 of stout reflexed radial spines, long (18-26 mm) never porrect, but adpressed to the body.
Flowers: Sweet smelling large 6 to 7.5 cm yellow are produced in late summer to autumn. very big, fruits are long (ca. 4 cm long, 1 cm diameter)

Cultivation:  Full sun to light shade in summer. Water sparingly, keep drier in winter. Needs good drainage.  Frost Tolerance: Hardy to -3°C.

Propagation: Offsets as it is a suckering cactus or by seeds.

Coryphantha sulcolanata (Lemaire 1838) Lemaire 1868

Scientific name: Coryphantha elephantidens Coryphantha elephantidens (Lemaire 1838) Lemaire 1868 ssp. sulcolanata

Origin: Mexico (Michoacan)

Common name: Elephants Tooth

Synonyms:

• Cactus sulcolanatus
• Echinocactus sulcolanatus
• Mammillaria sulcolanata

C. elephantidens is the centre of a complex of closely related species and it is quite difficult to decide about what is the valid names or eventual subspecies of the different taxon at present time.
The complex comprises:
Coryphantha elephantidens (Lemaire 1838) Lemaire 1868 Coryphantha sulcolanata (Lemaire 1838) Lemaire 1868, Coryphantha recurvispina (De Vriese 1839) Bremer 1976, Coryphantha bumamma (Ehrenberg 1849) Britton & Rose 1923, Coryphantha greenwoodii Bravo 1970 and Coryphantha garessii Bremer 1980.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Coryphantha elephantidens:

• Coryphantha elephantidens
• Coryphantha elephantidens cv. TANSHI ZOUGEMARU
• Coryphantha sulcolanata (C. elephantidens subsp. sulcolanata)