Yea!!! Another 'Spiny' collector added to GW.
Congrats Japie! may this be the first of many.
As for the ID,I can be sure of what it is not,but as for what it is...??
It does resemble a few that come to mind.
Dyckia goiana, Dyckia encholirioides,and
Dyckia sp. valascana 'LaRoija'
You might try to match up yours to the pics on the fcbs,but not all are good representative photos.
D.'La Roija' can be seen on www.yuccado.com
If we get some sunshine,I'll try taking some pics of my look-alikes that match up to yours.
Bob

Yes Japie its maddening when buying from Nurseries these days that dont bother with correct naming, I've often had a good giggle at some very wrongly named plants.

Well I didnt think I was a spiky lover, having mostly Neo's and Vriesea but I remembered I had this little number sitting right out on my paved area *inserts a blush*

{{gwi:510465}}

It was labelled Ochagavia Carnea Lindsayanna but the closest I could find to this flower was the Carnea Lindleyanna (another possible misnamed plant???)

Any opinions would be welcomed, I know absolutely nothing of spiky's.

The correct name is Ochagavia carnea. In the Smith & Downs monogragh on the Bromeliaceae, there are 15 different names that have been formerly associated with the plant. The epithet "lindleyana" came at a time when Ochagavias were being treated by some botanists as part of the genus Bromelia. The botanical rules for proper name recognition can be just a bit confusing at times!
Paul

Japie, good luck with your Aloe Dyckia! LOL

Cractpot, I have not seen any ochagavias available in Oz before. As you are in Melbourne, it might not grow well in humid environs up north? Did you buy it from "Collector's Corner"? If you posted a pup for sale on eBay, it would probably get a good price. I want one!

Cheers,
Kerry

Japie, I found a couple of photos I had taken last Summer,that might be your plant.If yours happens to bloom,we'd have a better chance of an ID.But before that,they can look very much alike,and yours can even be a Hechtia,tho Dyckia is more likely. And then there's the multitude of hybrids as well. But for today,heres two of the three I mentioned above.
Bob

Dyckia goiana
{{gwi:510466}}
Dyckia velascana
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Hi cractpot,
I like your Ochagavia carnea !
I've never seen one available before,so you were most fortunate to obtain one and to have it bloom and pup too.
In the book "Bromeliads",by Francisco Oliva-Esteve,there is a photo and description of the species,and yours looks to be definetly O.carnea,that grows on the central coastal range of Chile.It mentions that L.B.Smith determined that
O.lindleyana is synonymous with O.carnea.
Until this year there was a nursery in Aus. [Rudolf Schultz,Teasdale,Vic.] that had many South American bromeliads and seeds available,so perhaps thats how it got to your area.
Would Love to have a pup of your plant,but how to get it to the USA ? [do you deliver? ;^) ]
Bob

Thanks for all the feedback guys n gals.

Kerry its me Nadine, LOL
If you email me through ebay bromeli*nads and send me your address I'll gladly send you a pup. If you want to have a peek at my auctions while you are there you might get a surprise at the price of the Vriesea reitzii pup I'm selling.
I'll be wearing chain mail gloves of course to remove the Ochagavia pup!!!

Yes I got it from Collectors Corner, Chris has them growing right out front in the car park, full blazing sun no less.

Bob I'd love to deliver to the states haha but if Kerry is a dab hand at getting her pup to grow and set seed maybe there could be an offer later on ??????

Oooooh! Thanks so much Nadine. What a lovely surprise. I'll be in touch VERY soon! I have already been watching your Vriesea reitzii on eBay - you might get the record price yet! I think $455 for a Neo. carcharodon 'Tiger' is the record so far - could be wrong.

Might make a funny/heart-warming story??? You're very good at them.

Bob - I'll try to set seed if I can get my kind gift from Nadine (Cractpot) to flower, and will certainly post you some if they do.

Cheers,
Kerry