Xerophyte

Central Spines

absent or sometimes one or more, like the radials.

Seeds

Black.

Description

The Mexican snowball cactus (Escobaria zilzianaSN|10187]]SN|10435]]) is densely covered, but not concealed by thin white spines, sometimes with pink or brown tips. This small cactus has rather more elongated stems than it's fellow Escobarias, ans usually stays solitary, but occasionally branches basally (especially in cultivation). It is strictly related to Escobaria duncaniiSN|10121]]SN|10200]].

Note

It is often found in cultivation under several misapplied names comprising Escobaria muehlembaueriana, Escobaria strobiliformisSN|10200]]SN|10121]] and Escobaria tuberculosaSN|10435]]SN|10187]].

Flowers

3 cm long and 2.5 cm across and, like the flowers of many other species in this group, are quite variable in colour, being white, pale yellow, or maybe even olive green, or whitish with a darker pink mid-stripe through the petals.

Stem

Rounded to cylindrical, often with a somewhat cone-shaped top, 6-10 cm high, 2,5-3 cm in diameter. Tubercles to 10 mm (0.4 in) long.

Radial Spines

16-22, straight, flattened against the stem surface, to 15 mm long.

Fruits

Narrowly club-shaped-cylindric, to 2 cm long, bright pink or red.