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Old 22-08-2009, 09:14 AM posted to rec.gardens
Stewart Robert Hinsley Stewart Robert Hinsley is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
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Default Cactus or succulent ID help please?

In message , PhoenixWench
writes
brian 777 wrote:
Bit of a novice in this area but I was given some seeds that just looked
like dandelion seeds. The plant is now 18" high and is the shape of a
broom handle with very thin leaves about 2" long sprouting out from the
main stem at very regular intervals of about an inch along the whole
length. It is very fast growing taken 3 months to reach this size. It
is a grey green colour with no spines. I understand the flowers were
small yellow and when matured burst open like a dendelion. The seed was
from Tenerife. I would love to know what it is for further research. I
have a few more just started and one has branced at an eary stage the
other is growing tall and straight.

I did a quick Google on Tenerife plant like dandelion and it came up
with Sonchus acaulis - pix available at these sites;

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/...sp?prodid=2245
http://www.canaryislandflora.com/rocks.htm
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...0000+0109+0917
http://www.stridvall.se/flowers/gall...ceae_3?page=25

It doesn't look much like a succulent or cactus, but it does look like
a dandelion. Hope this solves your mystery ;-)

It's unlikely to be that one - acaulis = stemless - and there are other
differences. Depending on what is understood by dandelion-like flowers
it might be one of the succulent Senecios.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley