Strange Rebutia heliosa

[kristian_Fossmo]

I always thought that one of the Rebutia heliosa seedlings has been looking a little of, so I kept it when I replanted them last year. It is looking more and more like a possible Mammillaria sp.

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[greenknight]

Yes, I agree - maybe Mammillaria matudae, though it's a little early for a positive ID.

[jfabiao]

The flat tubercles makes me rather think of another Rebutia, but there's a way to be more certain: Mammillaria have notable "axils", vegetative points above the tubercles. Check the body of the plant on that area - and show us a picture of it, if you can.

EDIT: replaced "areoles" with "tubercles". Silly me.

[DaveW]

Rebutia heliosa is variable having a few forms or varieties, but that one does not look right. See:-

http://ralph.cs.cf.ac.uk/papers/Others/Whatsinaname.pdf

[kristian_Fossmo]

If it is Mammillaria matudae, I won't cry over that...stunning flowers .
But the variance in the genus was really something i`ve had`t really consider to bee that big. I am a little confused about the central spine though. I repotted the Rebutia heliosa pot today and the odd one gott an own pot, so we will see what happens . One other seedling also show some variation in the radial spine arrangemang.

I will try to take some closeup pictures for you tomorrow.

Thanks!

[greenknight]

Having found pictures of a young M. matudae (I'd seen only mature ones before), I'm more doubtful of that idea. The only thing I'm certain of is that it's very different from the rest!

[DaveW]

Sometimes it's just a case of wait and see until it flowers and then hopefully identify it, at least to genus. It is often difficult to identify cacti as seedlings since some can be dimorphic, the juvenile growth looking quite different to characteristic mature growth.

The lower growth on this Turbinicarpus which abruptly changes to completely different mature growth being an extreme example:-

https://public.fotki.com/PanosS/turbini ... udo-9.html

[kristian_Fossmo]

Yes, they sure can change a bit under their lives

Took some pictures today if someone has a general idea?

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[vlani]

Probly another kind of Rebutia. Wait for flowers

[kristian_Fossmo]

Ok, thank you.
Flowers maybe next year third spring?

[vlani]

May be this year. Plants are large enough.

[kristian_Fossmo]

Cross my fingers then . I don`t think they had enough cold for a real show, but with some luck maybe they will give me something.

[vlani]

They need sun not cold.