Aylostera question

[ralphrmartin]

It has much shorter spines, and is much smaller growing, than my L. schieliana, which also has whitish spines.

I don't think it's L. arachnacantha either. I've got at least a dozen forms of that species, and while they are variable in spine length, body colour, etc, and while they do offset freely in a similar way to this plant, all of mine share the feature that the centre of the plant is depressed, and they are never conical like this plant. At least when small (i.e. this size), they are quite a bit wider than tall. Incidentally, there is an amazing range of flower colour in this plant - white, purple, lemon yellow, gold, orange, scarlet and vermillion in the clones I have. And that's even before we start on hybrids.

Do post a pic next year when it flowers!

[Cidermanrolls]

My Lobivia schieleana has just had to be restarted from a single head. Here it is in a 6cm pot, complete with tiny black tips on the spines.

[Nick_G]

Lobivia schieliana?

I thought L.schieliana as well when I first looked. I have a pale spined form but I also have a Ralf Hillmann clone that is similar to the OP's plant.

[ralphrmartin]

This was my plant of L. schieliana, 11 years ago. It's now about 20cm high.
Doesn't look too similar to the original plant, in my opinion.