Astrophytum

Morphological Summary

Genus of globular to short-cylindrical cacti from northern Mexico and the extreme southern tip of Texas, with 4–5 accepted species. They are distinguished by their spineless bodies in the most well-known species (though some have spines), covered in small white stellate scales or hairs giving them a silvery or mottled appearance. Yellow flowers with red or orange center, diurnal and large relative to the plant body. Highly prized in cactus collections for their perfect geometric form and their long history of breeding in Japan, where hundreds of cultivars have been created.