Origin and Habitat: Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul)

• Parodia tabularis subs. bommeljei (Vliet) Hofacker
• Notocactus bommeljei Vliet
• Notocactus tabularis f. bommeljei (Vliet) N.Gerloff & Neduchal

• Parodia tabularis subs. bommeljei (Vliet) Hofacker
• Notocactus bommeljei Vliet
• Notocactus tabularis f. bommeljei (Vliet) N.Gerloff & Neduchal

• Parodia tabularis (Cels ex Rümpler) D.R.Hunt
• Echinocactus concinnus var. tabularis Cels ex Rümpler
• Malacocarpus tabularis (Cels ex Rümpler) Britton & Rose
• Notocactus apricus var. tabularis (Cels ex Rümpler) Y.Itô
• Notocactus tabularis (Cels ex Rümpler) A.Berger
• Peronocactus tabularis (Cels ex Rümpler) Doweld
• Notocactus brederooianus Prestlé
• Notocactus tabularis var. brederooianus (Prestlé) W.Prauser
• Notocactus concinnus var. tabularis (Cels ex Rümpler) P.V.Heath
• Parodia tabularis f. cristata (Rebut)
• Echinocactus tabularis Rebut

• Parodia tabularis subs. setispina (W.Prauser)
• Notocactus tabularis var. setispinus

Description: Parodia tabularisSN|15606]]SN|15606]] subs. bommeljei, best known as Notocactus bommeljeiSN|15612]]SN|15612]], is a usually solitary, or slowly clustering, cactus. This taxon has been known for decades in cultivation, but a definitive description from plant located in habitat has been made by Dirk van Vliet only in 1968. It is indeed known in older description under the name of Echinocactus muricatusSN|15593]]SN|15593]] 1837. It is relative of Parodia tabularisSN|15606]]SN|15606]] and equally suitable for the novice, differing in its less numerous radial spines (10-12 vs 16-18) and larger flower (7 cm vs 6 cm long).
Stem: Up to 8(-10) cm across, glaucous blue-green, spherical to short cylindrical, more or less flattened apically.
Ribs: 16-23 low, obtuse.
Central spines: 3-4 up to 12 mm long, thin, white with brown to dark-red tips, more or less curving, forming a cross. New spines red.
Radial spines: 10-12 up to 10 mm long needle-like, sreading.
Flowers: Diurnal, opening in during the day and closing at night. Yellow flower, 6-7 cm in diameter. Floral tube with whitish wool and long brownish bristles.
Blooming season: Spring to early summer.
Fruits: Oval, yellowish green, up to 1,2 cm long and 0,7 cm in diameter.
Seeds: Cap shaped, black tuberculate, 1 mm in diameter.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” vol. 4 The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923
3) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
12) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006

Cultivation and Propagation: This is an easy plant to cultivate. It require a mineral-based potting mix with a good drainage. Can support quite some water during the growing season but pot plants in winter are wet-sensitive and needs to be kept dry (rots easily if soil is wet and cold). Usually it is recommended to over-winter this plant in a bright and warm greenhouse with at least 8-10° C , but it has proved to tolerate temperatures as low as -5° C for short periods.
Sun Exposure: Light shade to full sun but doesn't like full, hot blazing sun in the central summer month.
Propagation: Seeds, cuttings. Not too difficult to raise from seed.