Here are two different Pelecyphora aselliformis pots. The green one is a month younger but even a month ago the brown ones didn't look like that. They're growing side by side under lights.
Here's Eriosyce napina ssp. lembckei var. duripulpa. A lot of these small Eriosyce species are incredibly variable from seed. These all germinated as more or less the same time but they've all gone off on their separate ways, some really struggling. These have pretty big roots and possibly a few of them have filled up the pot and the others can't get established.
Here's something a bit more uniform for you. Turbinicarpus swobodae, all regimented and identical. This is a bit of a cheat because these are from self-pollinated seed and so not far off being clones.
There is quite some variation in Eriosyce seedlings as far as I can say from my short sowing experience dating back to only 2008
Here are some seeds from Spiniflores in Chile and some habitat seed from a friend who went there.
It seems that Melocactus all look the same and so species are very hard to tell apart, while Eriosyce all look different so you can't tell if it is a particular species or not!
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Eriosyce all look different so you can't tell if it is a particular species or not!
Exactly! More difference between two plants of the same species than between plants in different species In seedlings especially, they settle down a bit as adults but still there is big variation between some populations of the same species.