Echidnopsis

Morphological Summary

Echidnopsis is a genus of stem-succulent plants in subfamily Asclepiadoideae (family Apocynaceae), formerly placed in Asclepiadaceae. Plants are creeping or prostrate, leafless, with cylindrical to slightly angled stems densely covered in small spirally or longitudinally arranged tubercles. Flowers are small, star-shaped or tubular, typically in dark shades — brown, purple, burgundy or yellow — often with spotted or striped patterns. The genus was described by Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1871 and currently contains approximately 25–30 species. Commonly called "hedgehog stapeliads" for their cactus-like appearance and characteristic stapeliad flower structure. In cultivation they require bright light, sharply draining substrate, and infrequent watering; they are sensitive to root rot.