Escobaria grata
Kaktusy (Brno) 37(2): 37 (34-37; 6 photogrs.). 2001
Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Species
Escobaria grata
Author
M.Kaplan, Kunte & Šnicer
Chinese genus
松球属
Chinese name
-
DescriptionEdit description
Seeds
30-40 per fruit, brown to brown-black, 1 mm long. Seed surface is covered by small warts.
Roots
Strong, fibrous.
Note
Latin “grata” graceful, pleasant, sweet. This specie, as the name implies, has graceful, sweet, flowers.
Tubercles
Many, closely set up to 10 mm long and 5 mm thick at the base. The inner side of the tubercles has shallow, evident furrow 8 mm long tapering to the flower part of the areola at the base of the tubercle.
Flowers
Up to 25 mm long and 30 mm in diameter wide-opening. Outer perianth segments light pink, fuzzy at apex. Inner perianth segments in two central whirls, shiny mauve-violet, darker in the middle. Stigma with five cream coloured lobes. Stamens numerous, anthers prominent yellow.
Spines
All radial grey-white with brown or black tips. About 1 mm long, lower ones 4-6 mm long, upper ones 10-14 mm long. Upper radial spines near the plant apex are very dense and may look like central spines.
Stem
At first single ovoid, later slightly elongated up to 70 mm tall and 40 mm thick, with several offsets at the base.
Fruits
Round shaped 10 mm wide drying out at maturity.
Areoles
Elliptical.