Accepted Scientific Name: Parodia oxycostata (Buining & Bredero) Hofacker
Cactaceae Consensus Init. 6: 12. 1998
Notocactus oxycostatus f. securituberculatus Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Origin and Habitat: Quevedos and adjacent area, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Southern South America)
Habitat: It grows mostly on rocky outcrops and stony fields, in grasslands or pampas.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Parodia oxycostata
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Parodia oxycostata (Buining & Bredero) HofackerCactaceae Consensus Init. 6: 12. 1998Synonymy: 20
Accepted name in llifle Database:Parodia oxycostata subs. gracilis (F.Ritter) HofackerCactaceae (Backeberg) 6: 12. 1998Synonymy: 4
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Description: Parodia oxycostataSN|20466]]SN|20466]] f. securituberculata (a.k.a. Notocactus securituberculatusSN|20483]]SN|20483]]) is a local form of the wide ranging and very variable Parodia oxycostataSN|20466]]SN|20466]] distinguished from the latter by sharp bluish ribs that redden if exposed to strong sun light and under stress conditions. The differences with other Parodia oxycostataSN|20466]]SN|20466]] are in reality very minimal and most botanist agree on the fact that both should all be included in the Parodia oxycostataSN|20466]]SN|20466]], and the two plants are not readily distinguishable, if not for the geographical provenance. The "securituberculata" is merely one of the several forms regarded as a mere ecotype with size or colour modified by more humid or arid conditions and merging into typical plants in cultivation. However similar plants occurs at random elsewhere.
Habit: Plants solitary, only rarely offsetting into small clusters in time. The stems are flattened globular and will bear several glossy yellow flowers around the very woolly stem apex in mid summer.
Stem: Flattened globose to globose, grey-green, to 9 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 6-12, acute, with shallow chinlike protrusions between the areoles.
Areoles: Round, white at first, later grey, then naked.
Spines: Reddish brown to bright yellow, becoming lighter with age, flattened, twisted.
Central spine: 1, pointing downward, upto 20 mm long.
Radial spines: Usually only 2, one pointing downward, 16-25 mm long, sometimes with as many as 8 additional small spines to 6 mm long.
Flowers: Borne several at a time apically, bell-fummel-shaped to sometimes urn shaped, yellow, to 1 cm long and 4,5 cm in diameter; pericarpels and floral tubes with scales, white wool, and reddish brown bristles in clusters. Stigma red.
Blooming season: Flowering occurs in summer through early fall and will bloom several times during warm weather.
Fruits: With yellowish grey wool and reddish brown bristles, 2,5-2,7 cm long.
Seeds: Helmet shaped, shiny black.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Parodia oxycostata group
Notocactus glaucinus F.Ritter: has a waxy bluish coating on the epidermis. Distribution: Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.- Notocactus glaucinus var. depressus F.Ritter: has flat light green stem and pink fruits. Distribution: Sao Francisco de Assis, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
- Notocactus oxycostatus var. occidentalis N.Gerloff: has flattened spherical stems, 20-50 mm tall and 30-60 mm wide with ca. 7 ribs. Radial spines 5-7. Central spine 1. Distribution: Central Paraguay (Cordillera, Paraguarí and Missiones).
- Notocactus oxycostatus f. securituberculatus (F.Ritter) N.Gerloff: has sharp bluish ribs that redden if exposed to strong sun light and under stress conditions. Distribution: Quevedos, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Parodia oxycostata (Buining & Bredero) Hofacker: has 6-7 ribs and reddish brown spines. Distribution: east of Sao Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul.
- Parodia oxycostata subs. gracilis (F.Ritter) Hofacker: has 9-12 ribs and bright yellow spines. Distribution: near Santiago.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Tony Mace “Notocactus: a review of the genus incorporating Brasilicactus, Eriocactus and Wigginsia” Editorial Board/National Cactus & Succulent Society, 1975
2) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
3) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
4) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
5) Larocca, J. & Machado, M. 2013. Parodia oxycostata. In: IUCN 2013. "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species." Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 29 October 2013.
6) H. Krainz “Die Kakteen: eine Gesamtdarstellung der eingeführten Arten nebst Anzucht- und Pflege-Anweisungen,” Parts 1-16” Franck, 1956
7) Friedrich Ritter “Kakteen in Suedamerika: Ergebnisse Meiner 20 Jaehrigen Feldforschungen” F. Ritter Selbstverlag, 1979
8) Haustein, Erik. “Der Kosmos-Kakteenführer.” Kosmos / Gesellschaft der Naturfreunde., Stuttgart, 1983
9) Mariella Pizzetti, Giuseppe Mazza “Copertina anteriore” A. Mondadori, 1985
Cultivation and Propagation: Parodia oxycostataSN|20466]]SN|20466]] is a summer grower species easy to grow and to bloom. It makes a very suitable indoor plants for any luminous windowsills.
Growth rate: It is a moderately fast growing and easily flowering species.
Soil: Use mineral well permeable substratum with little organic matter (peat, humus), plants may become too elongated if compost is too rich.
Repotting: Re-pot every 2 years. Use pot with good drainage.
Fertilization: It grows much faster with a low nitrogen content fertilizer in spring and summer.
Watering: Requires careful watering to keep plant compact. Water sparingly from March till October, the thin, fibrous roots suffer if there is humidity, therefore the plant should be watered only when the surrounding terrain is dry. Keep dry as soon as the temperature starts dropping in October and keep it perfectly dry in winter at temperatures from 5 to 15 degrees centigrade.
Hardiness: They need to be kept in a cool place during winter rest and are somewhat resistant to frost if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather ( they are hardy to -5 C ° C, for short periods). Although it is one of the easier Parodia to grow, it tends to rot in winter during the resting phase, if kept wet. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!!
Sun Exposure: Requires full sun in winter and some protection in summer, its colour tends to richer and darker when grown in light shade.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the infested plants from above.
- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem.
- Rot: Rot is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much. To prevent rottenness it is also advisable to surround its root neck by very rough sand or grit, this help a fast water drainage.
Propagation: Almost exclusively by seed. Cutting scions from a flourishing plant may also been used to propagate this plant.
