Islaya islayensis f. variegated (Cactus)

The variegated shape of this plant presents yellow areas in places where there is a lack of chlorophyll; such spots or yellow areas will never be the same in plants, thus making each exemplar unique and for this reason highly sought after by collectors. In its normal form it is an uncommon cactus with a solitary habit that can reach up to 15 cm in height and 10 cm in diameter and forms a long taproot. It has a globose stem of light green to dark green color, arranged in 15-20 well marked ribs formed by prominent tubercles. The areoles are large, very fluffy, white and woolly and bear thorns. The spines are 5-10 per areola and are long, sharp, reddish to shiny black. The number, shape, and size of the spines vary by population. Flowering occurs during the summer and the flowers are brought to the apex of the stem. Flowering is rare and is only possible in individuals that have reached maturity.