STENOCACTUS (BIG BRAIN CACTUS)

STENOCACTUS more often known as Echinofossulocactus ,Brain cactus  is a low-growing cactus with a lot of narrow, very acute and straight or wavy ribs, densely pleated together giving a wrinkled look to its near globular shape, with short 6 to 18 soft flattened brownish spines, arranged crosswise, but there is a great variation among plants of different origin both in spination, body shape and number of ribs. Since the various forms are connected by intermediates it is extremely difficult to recognize. It is simple, but sometimes forms two or more stems.Ribs are many as the name implies,very tight, thin, acute, wavy, very broad at the areoles. There are only 2 or 3 (-4) areoles in each rib, witch are covered with white felt in young plants.Spines are 4-6 to 9 of different lengths.Flowers are from the plant crown, about 2,5 cm, wide, with a short tube, white, pinkish purple or violet (or rarely yellowish) with a darker violet to purple midvein in early spring.flower blooms in spring and summer.