[David Dickinson]

I bought this succulent looking at the big flower buds and expecting something spectacular to open out (pic 1 & 2). Instead, (pic 3) the bud quickly dried out and produced a seed head which was full of little "polystyrene" balls (pic 3). Is this the real "flower" for this plant or an example of the phenomenon known as "cleistogamy"?

(I read about cleistogamy in relation to Pavonia hastata and, as I read, my potted plant in its second year is repeating the same pattern as in its first year. That is, non-opening buds in spring but producing seed and (like last year hopefully!) flowering buds in autumn.)

[Hilary]

Nobody seems to have any ideas about this plant.
I got out my cactus books this morning but there were no photos which looked anything like your flower/seed head
Have you any idea about the name of the plant or a photo taken from above?

[David Dickinson]

Sorry about the delay in replying Hilary. Here is the photo from above that you asked for now that the flowering, or, rather, non-flowering stems have been cut back. Thanks for your help previously in trying to look it up for me :-)

[Alisdair]

David, you might be interested in this thread about Echeveria flowers aborting (your plant looks to me like some Echeverias, but I know very little about succulents!)

[David Dickinson]

Thanks Alisdair. I have just read through the postings on the thread. Sounds like you have put me onto something very useful. How do you remember all these references to threads even on non-MGS blogs? I'm amazed. :-)

[Alisdair]

I wish my memory was that good, David. I did dig about a bit, googling Echeveria and aborted flowers....

[Trevor Australis]

I have had this too - a disappointment as you say. I think it may have been - I got rid of mine - a Calandrinia. A weedy succulent, a few sp of which have nice pink blooms. They might be capable, like violets, of self fertilising flowers that develop after the furst flush and have no petals. TN

[David Dickinson]

I looked up Calandrinia on Trevor's advice and found that they had flowers similar to Portulaca. The plant produced even bigger, plumper buds this year but I resisted the temptation to get too hopeful. Then today I saw what you can see in the picture. So, looks like you were spot on Trevor with the genus. Now if the flower behaves itself we might get to know the species too. Fingers crossed.

Thanks again to Trevor

[Hinterland1]

My dear David, sorry I'm late in the discussion....to me this looks like a South African member of the Portulacaceae, in your case: Anacampseros rufescens.

[David Dickinson]

Hi Hinterland,

I think that you are right. The pictures I saw on the internet of the species you indicate match the plant I have. There is evem a photo included here http://www.cactusmineral.wbs.cz/CAUDICIFORMS-AND-OTHER-SUCCULENTS.html which shows a seed head and seeds (very near the bottom of the very long page) which also matched the "disappointing" flower/seed heads I spoke about in my initial posting last year.  It has taken a year to get there but I think I now have the name of my plant and, it seems, this year some flowers too :-)

Thanks again to Trevor and Hinterland.

[Hinterland1]

David, I only saw the dates of the post much later! Yes, I saw that photo of your 'polystyrene' seeds. What might have happened initially is what they all say: you should never move the plant in a new position once the buds are out and about. You know - different position, insolation and so on, so they fell or never opened, or it was a seed head that opened later..anyway your plant as of today is quite impressive, very nice!

[David Dickinson]

It seems that I am not the only one keen to see the flowers! Will one ever open fully? I can only hope.

[David Dickinson]

The remaining buds on my Anacampseros rufescens never did open but they have produced polystyrene seeds again. So frustrating. However, I have discovered that I had bought an obviously related plant a few years ago and this has given me its first flower today. A bit breezy so the focus is not excellent but good enough to get an idea. I shall spend some time looking around on the internet tonight to try to track down its name (unless "Hinterland" or any other knowledgeable person is reading this, of course).

[David Dickinson]

A quick glance at photos on the internet, using the species list found on the Wikipedia pages, revealed the following as possibilities: Anacampseros arachnoides, coahuilensis, gracilis, lubbersii, retusa, telephiastrum or tomentosa

[Hinterland1]

Might be Anacampseros retusa, but don't take my word for it, I'm not really an Anacampseros specialist. Anyway pending positive ID just label it Anacampseros sp.  One can't go wrong with that!