56 Phytologia (Aug 2004) 86(2) 



epidermis externus vix incrassatis, stomata perpauci 1 per mm 2 , stomata 

 fovea areolari restrictis. Semina parva globosa strophiolo fere quam 

 grandiore quam semina gerentibus. 



Perennial herb from a fleshy taproot, succulent, poikylohydric, 

 body swelling immediately after rainfall. Stem solitary or caespitose, 

 individual stems obpyriform when hy drated or flattened, disc-shaped with 

 conspicuous central cuplike depression when dessicated, lacking ribs or 

 pronounced tubercles, 1-1.5 (2.5) cm in diameter. Stomata restricted 

 to areolar pits, overall density much less than 1 per mm 2 . Pericarpel 

 sculptured with podaria tipped by small lanceolate to triangular scales, 

 or with only a few scales and essentially glabrous on the lower part, 

 bearing whitish to gray wooly hairs in the axils.. Pollen subspherical, 

 tricolpate, with smooth exine. Fruit a juicy berry, spherical to ovoid or 

 pyriform, about 0.5 cm across, with podaria bearing large scales, and 

 axillary hair in small bundles, without bristles, side splitting when ripe 

 then disintegrating over time to release the seeds. Seeds globose, small, 

 0.5 mm in diameter, testa minutely papillose, shiny red-brown, with 

 large ivory hilum. 



Blossfeldieae Crozier, trib. nov. 



Type: Blossfeldia Werd., Kakteenkunde 1 1 : 1 62 ( 1 937). 

 Monotypic ( 1 species). Type species: B. liliputana Werd. 



Caudex crassus, caulis simplex dein proliferans, depresso-globosis 

 vel disciformibus 2.5 cm diametro vel parvioribus, neque costatis neque 

 tuberculatis vertice depressioribus Janoso, sine hypodermata epidermata 

 una tabulato sine epicuticulo ceracea, parietibus cellularum epidermis 

 externus vix incrassatis, stomata perpauci 1 per mm 2 , stomata fovea 

 areolari restrictis. Plantae aphyllae, areolis inermibus coactis. Flores 

 solitarii axillaribus turbinatis vel infundibuliformibus 0.6-1.5 cm longis 

 hermaphroditis. Fructis globosis vel pyriform ibus bruneis dehiscentibus 

 dein fatiscentibus. Semina parva globosa strophiolo fere quam grandiore 

 quam semina gerentibus. 



