Whitesloanea crassa (Somalia) — Auction

Extremely rare succulent plant, which is why it is highly sought after by collectors from all over the world. It has an appearance very similar to that of Astrophytum myriostigma quadricostatum, consisting of a waxy stem of a nice greyish color tending to brown, which does not exceed 12-15 cm in height, often quite wide, even if in cultivation it tends to remain more elongated and strict. It is equipped with 4 very wide ribs, enriched with serrated edges. A characteristic for which it differs at first sight from Astrophytum are undoubtedly the inflorescences, which do not bloom at the top but at the base of the stem and have an appearance very similar to the flowers of the genus Huernia: from a funnel-shaped tube, bell-shaped and strongly wrinkled petals bloom that take the form of a 5-pointed star of an intense brown, pleasantly mottled with yellow-cream dots!