Thelocactus leucacanthus grows in clusters or forms large multi-headed cushions up to 80 cm (31 in) wide. The yellowish-green, globular to short cylindrical plants reach 4.5 to 15 cm (1.8 to 5.9 in) in height and 2.5 to 5 cm (0.98 to 1.97 in) in diameter. The plant has 7 to 14 tuberous ribs running vertically or spirally, with conical cusps up to 1.1 cm (0.43 in) high, 1.4 cm (0.55 in) wide, and 0.8 cm (0.31 in) long. The areoles, up to 6 mm (0.24 in) long and 3 mm (0.12 in) wide, have extrafloral nectaries. Occasionally, a single central spine, yellowish-white to nearly black, grows up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long, with 6 to 20 radial spines that are 7 mm (0.28 in) long and straight or slightly curved. The yellow, purple, or crimson flowers reach up to 5.2 cm (2.0 in) long and 4.5 cm (1.8 in) in diameter. The green to yellowish fruits grow up to 9 mm (0.35 in) long and 8 mm (0.31 in) wide, drying and cracking at the base when ripe. They contain seeds up to 2 mm (0.079 in) long and 1.8 mm (0.071 in) wide, with polygonal or square testa cells.[2]
Plant with bloom
Purple flower form
Distribution
This species grows at elevations of 1200 to 1900 meters in the succulent bush forests of Hidalgo and Querétaro, Mexico. Plants are found growing along with Thelocactus hastifer.[3]
^Anderson, Edward F. (2011). Das große Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. p. 623. ISBN978-3-8001-5964-2.
^Art, Cactus (2013-08-04). "Thelocactus leucacanthus". LLIFLE. Retrieved 2024-09-15. This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
^Pfeiffer, Louis (1837). Enumeratio diagnostica cactearum hucusque cognitarum. Berolini: L. Oehmigke. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.15207.
^Britton, Nathaniel Lord; Eaton, Mary E.; Rose, J. N.; Wood, Helen Adelaide (1919). The Cactaceae : descriptions and illustrations of plants of the cactus family. Washington: Carnegie Institution of Washington. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.46288.
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