JOHNSONII  Walther, 1958  (engl./ fr.)

Series Nudae

Type : CAS 354989, plant grown from seeds sent by Howard Johnson in 1947.

Etymology : Named for Joseph Harry Johnson (1894-1987) - erroneously because it was not he who had introduced this species to cultivation, it was rather his namesake Howard Johnson.

Distribution: Ecuador.

First Description by Walther in Cactus and Succulent Journal (US) 30(2): 46-48. 1958 :

Plants glabrous, with evident, usually branching stem to 10 cm tall or more, erect to somewhat decumbent.

Leaves scarcely or not rosulate, but crowded along upper end of branches, clavate to linear-oblong, subterete, obtuse, minutely apiculate, usually about 35 mm long, 9 mm in thickness.

Inflorescences subspicate, arising from below the leaves, about 10 cm long, erect or ascending, bracts terete or slightly flattened, linear-oblong, 2 cm long, obtuse or acute, pedicels 3 mm long or less, upper bracts 10 mm long, bractlets 2, somewhat smaller.

Flower 10 - 12, sepals subequal, ascending to spreading, long, 9 mm in diameter at the open mouth, petals sharply keeled, erect or somewhat spreading, inside at base with rather small hollows, tips apiculate, carpels rather slender, 8 mm long, nectaries lunate-reniform, oblique, about 1 mm broad.

Cytology  : n = 22

Link to a summary of the above description in English and French.