This distinctive species forms small shrublets with stems that creep along the ground. The pads may be vertical at first, but are often more “laid-back”, being oriented in a horizontal position. Old growth tends to become corky, but new pads are a soft velvety green, with darker green or purplish blotches that form a checkerboard-like pattern. The species ranges from southern Mexico south to Costa Rica. We offer rooted cuts of HBG 71081, plants grown from seed received in 1981 from the botanical garden of the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. The seed was collected in Jalisco, Mexico along the highway between Barra de Navidad and Tampico. $8.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 81 (2), March - April, 2009