Rebutia kariusiana description


Rebutia kariusiana was first described by Willi Wessner in Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten 14(8): pp. 149-150, 1963, the journal of the Deutsche Kakteen-Gesellschaft.

Here is the text of the description in Latin as published, together with my own English translation below. You should look up the original for more details in German and a black-and-white photograph.

A few additional notes are provided below.

Rebutia kariusiana Wessner spec. nov.

Von Willi Wessner

Saturate viridis, globosa, raro proliferans, ad 5 cm lata, vertice depressa. Costae in mamillas resolutae, areolae orbiculares, bruneae, postea non glabrescentes. Aculei centrales 3—4, bruneae, apice pallidiores; aculei radiales 8—10, brunei vel albi. Flores e basi corporis nascentes, gemma florifera clare-viridis. Phylla perigonii rosea, omnia lanceolata. Pericarpellium et tubus squamis olivaceis, lanceolatis perpaucis tectus. Stamina biseriata, lutea. Stylus crassior, basi roseus, apicem versus albus, stigmatibus 5.

Fructus depresso-globusus, saturate viridis, mox pallidior. Semina ovoidea, nigra, nitida, verruculosa, hilo albo.

Patria ignota.

English translation

Rebutia kariusiana Wessner spec. nov.

Willi Wessner

Intense green, spherical, rarely branching, up to 5cm wide, with the apex depressed. Ribs arranged in bumps, areoles circular, brown, not becoming bare later. 3- -4 brown central spines with paler tips; 8 – 10 brown to white radial spines. Flowers arising from the base of the body, pedicel bright green. Petals pink, all lanceolate. Pericarp and tube with a few olive-coloured lanceolate scales. Stamens in two rows, yellow. Style thick, pink at the base, whitish at the tip, with 5 stigmas.

Fruit flattened spherical, intense green, going paler after a short time. Seed oval, black, shiny, warty, with white navel.

Habitat not known.

Additional notes

Wessner states that the described plant was an import by Uebelmann, a single plant among 200 others of R. senilis and R. marsoneri, and that larger sizes than described can be obtained in cultivation. Areoles have grey-brown wool which is not apparent in the description.

Flowers slightly later in the season than R. marsoneri and R. violaciflora. Flowers are a unique rose-quartz colour not found in any other Rebutia. Wessner called it “flamingo” to begin with! Flower buds are an unusual pale green and pointed. Self-sterile.