Flower star-like, to 6 inches (15 cm) across. Petals dark, dusky magenta with orange basal stripe and reddish midrib. Inner petals obovate, outers and sepals sharply acute to acuminate, projecting beyond inner petals. Filaments dark purplish-red; anthers sterile; outer stamens irregularly curved, splayed in different directions. Stem semicolumnar, to 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter; central spines to 1 inch (25 mm) long. Named for the infamous eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. Situated on the island of Rakata, between Java and Sumatra, the eruption was probably the most devastating of any volcano in recorded history. It was heard more than 2000 miles from Rakata and generated tsunamis that reached a height of 120 feet. ISI 2000-16; HBG 85190, Schick 1652-42.
