Bob, the first plant is very interesting, but its spines formation
and form of leaves, I doubt that your first plant should not be a Deuterocohnia,
it appears close to be a variation or even a hybrid of Dyckia marnier-lapostollei
as I also have D. ML that look like your plant.

Last year I got a big specimen of Deut. longipetala
'Silverleaves Clone' from Tropiflora, quite different from yours,
but unfortunately, it has not rooted until now, so quite pretty dead,
anyway I still have a few hope with it, and I already got more 5 small plants this year from TP.

BTW, where did you get the plant, I may be wrong, but the flower can prove out.

hi Stephania,
I'd like to see your pic of D.L.,that looks like my Deu.L.
Below are two photos of Deut.L.'White Clone'that I got from Tropiflora in January.(the small plant).
It does resemble the Deut. L. I just got from Shirley,at the Nature Collection on E-bay.
Spines and color seem to be the same.
It does'nt look like the usual Deut.,I agree.
Take a look at 'White Clone' on the Tropiflora site,January '07,pg.13 (Terrific Terrestrials),
and see if you think its like my new Deut.from E-bay.
Bob
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The most distinct vegetative characteristic of Deut. longipetala
that I notice is rather flat leaves, not form as channel or groove as in Dyckia ML,
also the leaves tip not as rigid, sharp point as,
but much softer and thiner like a thread.
The leaves spines of Deut. in mature plant are much shorter
and not curve as in most of ordinary Dyck. ML.
The silver leaf's trichome of Deut. is quite smooth and glossy in texture
while it like more scurf in Dyckia ML.

This is the big plant of Deut. longipetala 'Siver leaves clone' from Tropiflora.
(Sorry for the exaggerated colour, due to my last PC programme)
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I have no Dyck. ML closed up now but you see the alike one at the bottom right corner.
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Here is a link that might be useful: Deuterocohnia longipetala pic

One more distinguishable feature is all of Deut. are apical- flowering
while in Dyckia are axil-flowering, so if you sign any old cut inflorescence on your plant,
it's certainly a Dyckia.
Due to this important characteristic, it link to the form of offshoot feature,
as most of Deut. are usually form new pups by the inflorescence base,
while Dyckia will form pups at the plant base, beyond the apical dividing,
which rarely occur in Dyck. ML.

Hi Stephania,
What you point out in the differences is very convincing.I'll be looking for those differences as the plant develops,and one day we will see what kind of inflorescence appears. Thanks for the research.
Bob

Hi again Stephania,
Remembering that I had a large Deut.longipetala outdoors last summer that got eaten by some nightime plant stalker,I checked my photo album to see if I still had a photo of it.
Well,I did find one,so here it is.
And it fits every thing you described about Deuterocohonias.
Also,in examining my plant in the first pic above,and comparing it to other Dyckias I have,and other Dyckia photos,and your Dyckia description and features,I'm convinced it is a Dyckia,maybe a hybrid,and not a Deuterocohonia after all.
But I still like it anyway ;))
Thanks for your input,
Bob

the Real Deut.longipetala !
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Yes Bob, and I also noticed that Dyckia ML's spines are usually curve
toward the leaves base, while Deuterocohnia's are conversely.

As you said, your unknown Dyckia is a pretty nice one, it might be a hybrid.
This is my Dyckia 'Fuente', a Bill Baker's hybrid between Dyck.ML v. estevesii with Dyck. fosteriana.

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This one looks like a Bill Baker hybrid I picked up in LA a few months ago...maybe the same. I'll have to get a photo up here.

Here is a photo of a similar looking dyckia I picked up in LA--it's a Bill Baker hybrid I was told. Maybe the same as both of yours?

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May be the same of siblings, but more awesome than mine Philofan !

philofan,
All three of ours seem to have a lot in common.
Besides a generalized like appearence,the large backward facing spines are the one feature that seems to stand out.
There are some dyckia offspring seedlings that can look very different from one another,as we've seen in other postings.
All very mysterious and interesting for us 'Stickia' admirers.
Bob