Coryphantha alversonii – “Spinystar”

Also Known As: Viviparous Foxtail Cactus, Pincushion Cactus
Other Botanical Names: Coryphantha vivipara, Escobaria vivipara, Mammillaria vivipara
Family: Cactus (Cactaceae)
Bloom Period: Apr-Jun
Form: Single cylindrical stem, sometimes in clusters; 1-4½ inches (3-11 cm) tall
Habitat: Rocky or sandy soil
Leaves: 12–18 spines, straw colored with dark tips
Translation: “Coryphantha” is Greek for “hilltop flower”; “alversonii” is named for Andrew Halstead Alverson (1845-1916), a jeweler, mineralogist and dealer in cacti and succulents; “Escobaria” is named for Numa Pompilio Escobar Zerman (1874-1949) and Romulo Escobar Zerman (1882-1946), of Mexico, who founded the Private School of Agriculture in Ciudad Juarez in 1906; “vivipara” means that the plant is “viviparous,” which is “bearing plantlets or bulblets on the leaves or in the inflorescence.”