Frailea cataphracta
| Light | Bright but filtered; protect from harsh direct summer sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderate in growth, allow to dry between waterings; keep dry in winter |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; minimum around 5–10 °C, USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (readily self-fertile via cleistogamous flowers) |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Frailea cataphracta is a tiny, flattened-globular South American cactus, one of the best-loved miniatures in the genus Frailea. Its small green body is marked by a distinctive crescent-shaped dark band or "chin" beneath each areole, a feature that gives the plant an armoured, patterned look and lends it its name (from the Latin cataphractus, "mailed" or "armour-plated"). Rarely more than a couple of centimetres across, it is a rewarding pot plant for growers who enjoy small treasures.
Description
Frailea cataphracta forms a small, solitary or slowly clustering body, typically flattened-globular and only about 2–4 cm in diameter. The skin is green to purplish-green, divided into low, rounded ribs broken into tubercles. Beneath each areole sits the species' signature dark crescent marking, sometimes reddish or brownish, which arcs across the base of the tubercle like a small chin. The spines are short, fine and bristly, lying close to the body rather than projecting fiercely.
Like most fraileas, the plant carries a small tuft of wool at each areole. The flowers, when they open at all, are pale yellow and appear near the crown in the warmth of summer; more often the plant sets seed without opening, through self-pollinating cleistogamous buds. These give way to small, papery fruits that split to release fine seed.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to subtropical South America, in the grassland and rocky-outcrop country of Paraguay and neighbouring parts of Bolivia and southern Brazil. There it grows as a low, often half-buried plant among grasses, mosses and gritty soil, where seasonal rains alternate with dry spells. In habitat these tiny cacti are easily overlooked, contracting into the ground during drought and swelling again after rain.
Cultivation
Frailea cataphracta is an easygoing miniature by cactus standards, but its small size means mistakes show quickly. Grow it in a gritty, mostly mineral mix in a small pot, and give it bright light with some protection from the fiercest midday sun — unlike many desert cacti, fraileas come from grassland and appreciate a little shade and slightly more moisture in the growing season.
Water moderately once the soil has dried through spring and summer, then keep the plant dry and cool over winter to prevent rot. Being naturally small and shallow-rooted, it does well in a snug container; see Watering and Repotting for general technique. Plants are fast from seed and often flower or set seed while still young.
Propagation
Seed is by far the easiest method. Frailea cataphracta is freely self-fertile and will often set viable seed from closed, cleistogamous flowers without any intervention, so a single plant can quietly fill its pot with seedlings. Sow the fine seed on a mineral surface kept warm and humid; germination is usually quick and generous. Where plants offset, the clusters can also be divided, though seed remains the standard route. See Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest cause of loss, almost always from overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or damp cold in winter; the small body softens and collapses rapidly.
- Shrivelling — some seasonal shrinking is natural, but persistent shrivelling in growth points to a root problem or underwatering.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the areoles and among the roots) and red spider mites are the usual offenders on these small plants. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Frailea — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Repotting · Pests and diseases