Donate now to support the LLIFLE projects.
Your support is critical to our success.
Discocactus heptacanthus (Barb.Rodr.) Britton & Rose
Cactaceae (Britton & Rose) 3: 218, fig. 232. 1922
Family: CACTACEAE

Discocactus heptacanthus Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
The name eptacanthus means "with seven spines" but the actual number of spines varies from 5 to 11 depending on origin and size of the plant.

Synonyms:

See all synonyms of Discocactus heptacanthus
back
Accepted name in llifle Database:
Discocactus heptacanthus (Barb.Rodr.) Britton & Rose
Cactaceae (Britton & Rose) 3: 218, fig. 232. 1922
Synonymy: 50 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Discocactus heptacanthus f. aurea hort.

Accepted name in llifle Database:
Discocactus heptacanthus subs. catingicola (Buining & Bredero) N.P.Taylor & Zappi
Cactaceae Consensus Init. 3: 7. 1997
Synonymy: 2 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Discocactus heptacanthus subs. magnimammus (Buining & Bredero) N.P.Taylor & Zappi
Bradleya 9: 86. 1991
Synonymy: 4
back

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Discocactus heptacanthus group

  • Discocactus cangaensis Diers & Esteves: has oval-round areoles, very woolly at first. Spines subulate, bent inwards, amber-coloured, the lower ones the longer. Distribution: east of the Rio Caiapo, South-west to west of Goiás, Brazil.
  • Discocactus cephaliaciculosus Buining & Bredero ex P.J.Braun & Esteves: has a white cephalium filled with strong, straight and dark red to black spines up 2 cm (or more) cm long. Distribution: southeastern Goiás and northeastern Tocantins, Brazil.
  • Discocactus griseus Buining & Bredero: has grey-green colour of the body. Distribution: Serra dos Alegres (near Joao Pinheiro), West Minas Gerais, Brazil.
  • Discocactus hartmannii (K.Schum.) Britton & Rose: has solitary stems up to 6 cm tall and 15 cm wide, completely divided transversely into large tubercles. Perianth-segments acute. Distribution: Paraguay and Brazil.
  • Discocactus heptacanthus (Barb.Rodr.) Britton & Rose: has typically 7 spines, but variable in number from 5 to 11. Stem solitary flattened. It is a very variable species. Distribution: Eastrern Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil.
  • Discocactus heptacanthus f. aurea hort.: has golden yellow (chlorophylls-less) stems.
  • Discocactus heptacanthus subs. catingicola (Buining & Bredero) N.P.Taylor & Zappi
  • Discocactus heptacanthus subs. magnimammus (Buining & Bredero) N.P.Taylor & Zappi: has more numerous ribs (up to 22) completely divided into distinct tubercles, and shorter spines that are round in cross section. Distribution: Between Caracol and Bela Vista, Mato Grosso
  • Discocactus mamillosus Buining & Bredero: has more numerous ribs (up to 22), small nipple-like tubercles on the edges, and fewer spines (5-7) in the areole. Distribution: West and north of the Rio Apa in the Mato Grosso.
  • Discocactus pachythele Buining & Bredero: intermediate between ssp. heptacanthus and ssp. magnimammus. Distribution: Northeast of Aquidauana (Serro de Maracaju) and Cipolandia, Mato Grosso, Brazil
  • Discocactus silicicola Buining & Bredero: is variable in shape, but closely related to D. magnimammus, D. mamillosa and D. hartmannii. Distribution: Near Porto Murtinho North of Rio Apa, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

14542 cactus-art Cactus Art
This variable species has ribs that are broken up into large, rounded tubercles, with more or less deep furrows in between. Photo by: Cactus Art
Send a photo of this plant.

The gallery now contains thousands of pictures, however it is possible to do even more. We are, of course, seeking photos of species not yet shown in the gallery but not only that, we are also looking for better pictures than those already present. Read More...


Your Actions
Discocactus Back to Discocactus index
Cactaceae Back to Cactaceae index
Cacti Back to Cacti Encyclopedia index