Thursday, June 14, 2012

Mammillaria Mesmeria - Look Into My Spines!

Okay, I know that's not it's real name. This is my favorite Mammillaria, and it's M. microhelia. Very cool name for an amazing cactus with its own, built-in optical illusion. The areoles and spines are arranged and colored in such a way that if you look at them, they appear to be moving. Dr. Mesmer would have liked this cactus!

2 comments:

  1. Very cool and pretty plant, and the patterns of the spines do play a trick on the eye; symmetrical and very well designed - clever little thing! This is a plant that I do not want to incidentally sit on. Imagine that. Lol.

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  2. Yes, this is one of the "ouch" plants in the collection! ;-)

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