About Parodia ottonis (Lehm.) N.P.Taylor
Parodia ottonis (Lehm.) N.P.Taylor starts growing as a single individual and later develops into clumps. Its light to dark green or blue-green spherical shoots are often tapered toward the base, and reach 3 to 15 centimeters in diameter. Each shoot has six to 16 distinct ribs that are either rounded or sharp-edged. Each rib typically holds only a few areoles. Bristle-like thorns grow from areoles, and can be straight, curved, or twisted. There are one to four brownish, reddish brown, or yellowish central spines, measuring 0.8 to 4 centimeters long. An additional four to 15 spines, ranging from whitish to yellowish or brownish, are 0.5 to 3 centimeters long. Flowers are usually yellow, rarely orange-red or red, grow 5 to 6 centimeters long, and bloom in late summer. The flower tube is covered in brownish wool and bristles, and the flower stigmas are dark red. Fruits are thick-walled, ranging from egg-shaped to short cylindrical, split open when mature, and have diameters of 0.9 to 1.3 centimeters. Fruits often contain very numerous, bell-shaped, glossy black seeds that are strongly humped. Parodia ottonis is widespread across southern Brazil, southern Paraguay, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina.
