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Turbinicarpus beguinii PAN 4 Cerro el Potosí 2000 m, NL, Mexico.
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Flower are broadly
funnel-shaped magenta
with lighter edges of
tepals.
Description: Body usually
solitary,
globose. Hardly
offsetting in cultivation.
Stem:
Spherical or somewhat
conical, rounded above;
apex rather deeply sunken, but fully hidden by the snow-white, dense
wool; blue-green, 6-8 (10) cm high and 6-8 cm in diameter.
Ribs fully arranged in
tubercles, from 13 to 21, rather dense
spirals,
rhombic or
sub-quadrangular,
conical; the top somewhat compressed from the sides, with sharp
upper and lower edges. The
seedlings tend to become quite
cylindrical.
Roots:
Carrot-shaped
Flower: Flower broadly
funnel-shaped.
Tepals linear, blunt, green with violet edge; inner linear -
lanceolate, pointed, magenta with lighter edges of petals. Length
and diameter of the flower 2-2.5 cm. White
Filaments; the
Anthers are dark chrome yellow. The white
style towers over them with 6 recurved
lobes.
Phenology:
Blossoming time: summer
Fruit: Fruits, urn-shaped, are 12 mm
long.
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1-year-old
seedling with typical
plumose spine. |

2-year-old spines |
Juvenile spines transform in a young
seedling
Spines (in
adult plant): Close-packed,
radial, mostly 12,
awl-shaped, very sharp, sticking
out up to 17 mm, snow-white,
translucent, young almost glass-like, black tipped.
Central spines 1, much longer (up to 30
mm), somewhat stronger, white, but at the top and further down, dark
brown to black. Later they become grey, and the radial spines radiates
horizontally, almost
comb-like.
Juvenile spine:
Plumose, soft, flexible, not pungent.
During the first year near the
base thin feathery
hairs begin to form.
Often the spine is densely covered, with hairs up to its tip. Spines of
two-year-old
seedlings (see figure) differ only in being longer and
more ragged. There are no
central spines; all are
radial.
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T. beguinii (PAN 4 Cerro el Potosí 2000 m, NL, Mexico)
long spines form |

T. beguinii (SB1620 Cerro Potosi, NL, Mexico)
Glassy white spines, with black tips. |
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Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of the
Turbinicarpus mandragora
complex
(This taxon has lots of synonyms, with several controversial varieties
and subspecies):
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES Appendix I
Scientific Name:
Turbinicarpus
beguinii
(N. P. Taylor) Mosco et Zanovello 1997
Published
in: Bradleya; Yearbook of the British Cactus and Succulent Society 15:
81, 1997
Basionym:
Thelocactus beguinii
N.P.TAYLOR 1983 (non Echinocactus beguinii SCHUMANN)
Group:
Gymnocactus group (Saueri aggregate)
Distribution: Northeast Mexico to central Mexico, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Coahuila to Hidalgo.
Habitat: It grows in scattered
colonies, on different mountains,
on warm
steppes, and in pine forests or bushes, at altitudes
of around
1900-2100 m., on
lime with a high content of
organic parts and a slightly
basic pH. Localities are difficult to reach, and the main danger
comes from
fires.
Synonyms:
- Echinocactus beguinii F.A.C.Weber
ex K.Schum. 1898 (Nom
inval.)
in: Gesamtb. Kakt. 442 (1898). 1898
- Neolloydia beguinii (F.A.C.Weber
ex K.Schum.) Britton & Rose 1923
(Nom
illeg.) in:
Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 49: 252. 1922
- Gymnocactus beguinii (F.A.C.Weber
ex K.Schum.) Backeb. 1961 (Nom
illeg.)
in: Cact. & Succ.Journ. Amer. (Los Angeles) 23: 151 - 1961.
- Neolloydia smithii (Muehlenpf.) Kladiwa &
Fittkau var. beguinii (F.A.C.Weber)
Kladiwa & Fittkau 1971
in: Kakteen (H. Krainz) 46-47: CVIIIb.. 1971
- Thelocactus beguinii N.P.Taylor 1983
(as
nom. nov.)
in: Bradleya 1: 113 (1983),
- Turbinicarpus mandragora ( A.Berger )
A.D.Zimmerman subsp. beguinii (
N.P.Taylor ) Lüthy 1999
in: Kakt. And. Sukk., 50(11): 279 (1999).
- Neolloydia glassii Doweld 2000
in: Cactaceae Syst. Initiatives, 9: 20 - 2000, (as
nom. nov.)
- Rapicactus beguinii (N.P.Taylor) Lüthy
2003
in: Cactus & Co. 7(1): 38 (2003)

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T. beguinii PAN 4 Cerro el Potosí
2000 m, NL, Mexico

T. beguinii (pailanus)
L1035 Sierra de la Paila Coah. 2200-2300 m
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A plant with
crested shoots.
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. 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.
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