Parodia penicillata  has glowing flame red flowers which contrast well against the green body and tufty paintbrush-like gold yellow or white spines.

Description:  P. penicillata is a usually solitary small growing, cactus
Stem: Pale green or bright green spherical, later cylindrical growing up to 40-5m cm tall 9 cm wide.
Spines: Glassy, bristly straw-coloured (but also pale-yellow, or pale brown) becoming very dense on specimen. The radials are very thin clear and silky while the centrals are longer, stiffer and more coloured. There is also a form (the so called P. penicillata var. nivosa) with dense snow white spines.
Flowers: Funnel-shaped, orange-yellow or brilliant red in an apical circle. Dried flower remains for a long time on the plant body after blooming.
Blooming time: Summer.

Cultivation:  Water these plants regularly and fertilize with a low nitrogen fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks from midspring to late summer. This plant should remain rather dry at other times (especially in winter) except for a quick, periodic misting on warmer days in late winter, if it is kept absolutely  dry for a long period tends to lose its roots in winter. Can tolerate light frost (-1C°)
If the local  climate is warm enough to grow this plant outside, be sure that soil is well drained and sun if full, but with protection from strong mid-day rays.
 
Propagation: By Seeds that are very fine
 

Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific name: Parodia penicillata Fechser & van der Steeg 1960 (N)

Qrequently this specie is found with the incorrect spelling Parodia pennicillata

Origin: Native to the highlands of northern Argentina

Synonyms: Notocactus penicillatus

 
Pennicillum is the Latin word for  "Little brush" and refers to the characteristic new spine clusters at the plant apex.