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Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus
ssp. schmiedickeanus

T. schmiedickeanus (if not overwatered) has a body that is essentially disc-shaped and flat on top, but that also has prominent tubercles rising above the general level of the plant body.
 

Description: Solitary or slowly clumping , dichotomy also observed, globular ± depressed, 30-50 mm high, 35-40mm wide, green, apex with some white wool.
Ribs: completely divided into tubercles that are more or less well-rounded to square to almost short ,conical, 5 mm broad at the base, up to 7 mm long and pointing upwards, arranged in flat spirals.
Root: Taproot.
Areoles: On the tip of the tubercle, with a little wool, soon becoming bare.
Spines:  3 (more rarely 4) the lower one longer, up to 2,5 cm, the 2 side spines approximately 1/3 as short and the upper, very often missing, still shorter, flattened below, curved towards the apex  and often contorted, grey, corky, rather soft, with transverse fissures. The spines are persistent only on the upper body; below they fall off, and the body and tubercles are corky and bare.
Flowers: Apical funnel shaped, whitish to pinkish, outside with darker  midribs 14-25 mm wide. This plant is capable of blooming when it is little larger than 1 cm Ø.
 

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Scientific Name: Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus (Boedecker) Buxbaum et Backeberg 1937
Published in: Bödecker, Z. f. Sukkulentenkunde, 3(11):229-230, 1928

Distribution: Mexico (Tamaulipas: Miquihuana)

Synonyms:

• Echinocactus schmiedickeanus
• Toumeya schmiedickeana
• Strombocactus schmiedickeanus
• Neolloydia schmiedickeana
• Pediocactus schmiedickeanus

Photo and © copyright by Andrea B. (Bologna, Italy)
http://www.cactusfriends.com/Andrea/index.html 

Cultivation: It’s a fairly easy and robust species to cultivate, but very slow growing.  It needs a very well-drained soil, and requires strong sun to part sun to keep the plant compact and low and to develop a good spinal growth. Waterings should be rather infrequent to keep the plant compact, and avoid its becoming excessively elongated and unnatural in appearance. Furthermore it has a tap root, and watering it properly is often difficult, because it tends to crack open or rot if over-watered. Careful watering away from the body of the plant will allow the areoles to keep their wool. Keep dry in winter, or when night temperatures remain below 10° C.  It is hardy to -4°C for a short period.  Assure a good ventilation.

Reproduction: From seed, since the plant rarely produces plantlets, or grafted.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Turbinicarpus schmiedicheanus aggregate:  (This taxon has lots of synonyms,  with several controversial varieties and subspecies):

• T. schmiedicheanus ssp. schmiedicheanus
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. andersonii
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. dickisoniae
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. gracilis
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. klinkerianus
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. klinkerianus "lilinkeuiduus"
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. polaskii
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. polaskii forma variegata
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. schwarzii
  and possibly:
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. bonatzii
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. flaviflorus
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. flaviflorus forma brevispina
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. macrochele
• T. schmiedicheanus ssp. macrochele forma cristata
• T. schmiedickeanus ssp. rioverdensis
• T. schmiedickeanus forma variegata
• T. rioverdensis ssp. paoli (= T. longispinus)
• T. sp. negrita (=klinkerianus?)

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.