Xerophyte

Central Spines

Absent (the 1 to 3 upper radials are often interpreted as centrals, but they are not).

Fruiting Time

August-October or in January.

Seeds

Dark brown, spheric, 0.75-1.1 mm long, pitted.

Description

Escobaria hesteriSN|10222]]SN|10222]] is a dwarf cactus unbranched, except in old age, ultimately offsetting to form clusters & eventually, low many-stemmed mounds 5-20(-30) cm in diameter.

Roots

Short, fleshy, enlarged taproots merging with the stem.

Tubercles

5-9 long, 4-6 mm, in diameter, cylindrical when young, then tapering and turning upward from broad fattened base to 12 mm wide when old.

Flowers

Small but showy near the top of the stems (18-25 long, 20-34 mm in diameter), gorgeous deep rose-purple to magenta with a paler throat. Outer perianth segments about 9, greenish to pinkish, fringed with long white hairs. Inner perianth segments 22-27 per flower paler at the base, 10-17 ling, 2-4 mm wide. Outer filaments colourless or white to rose. Anthers orange-yellow. Style greenish or yellowish, slightly longer than stamens. Stigma lobes 3-6, stout, rough, white, cream, or pale pink, 1-3 mm long.

Blooming Season

It is a prolific bloomer, it blooms intermittently in spring between April and early June & occasionally in summer and autumn.

Spines

(5-)12-20 per areole, 3-6 mm, long all radial equal or slightly unequal, with the upper 1-3 longer and heavier than other (up to 13 mm long), sometime interpreted as central. Very thin and white with brown tips (quickly weathering to grey) creating a decorative starry effect against the deep green stems. Appressed, straight, laterally compressed at base, 6-13 mm long.

Stem

Short spherical to egg-shaped 5-9 cm long, (1.5-)2.5-4(4.5) cm in diameter, above-ground portion 1-6.5 tall (Usually less than 3 cm), not obscured by spines when hydrated, obscured when desiccated. In nature the stem is deep-seated in the soil, the aerial aerial parts are inconspicuous, flat-topped to hemispheric (to ovoid or spheric in horticulture), almost completely withdrawing into substrate when desiccated.

Fruits

Remaining green until drying, spherical or obovoid, 5-8 long, 3-6 mm wide, quickly drying. Floral remnant usually persistent.

Areoles

Roundish elongating to form groves when mature. Short tuft of wool soon disappearing. Areolar glands absent.