Astrophytum asterias, commonly called Sea Urchin Cactus, Star Cactus, Sand Dollar Cactus or Star Peyote is an endagered tropical plant related to the Cactus family (Cactaceae). Primarily Astrophytum asterias has been described 1845 by the German botanist Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini (1797 - 1848) as Echinocactus asterias and has been renamed by the French botanist Charles Lemaire (1800 - 1871) in 1868 as Astrophytum asterias. Thereafter the cactus plant has been lost without trace. Finally in 1923 the plant has been rediscovered by the Czech botanist Alberto Vojtěch Frič (1882 - 1944). Astrophytum asterias is native to Texas and the Mexican states Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, but nowadays the plant has probably been extirpated from Nuevo León. Astrophytum asterias flowers get a size up to about 5 cm in diameter. Flowering period: March - June.

© Orchids Flowers.com
Image: Cactus Flower Astrophytum asterias