It looks to be crossed with Astro capricorne, hence the long weak spines. So my guess would be A. capricorne X asterias cv. Superkabuto. Although maybe not in that order. What colour are its flowers?

If that's an Astro it's a really great plant (13 ribs...)! Sure it's not a Notocactus uebelmannius with scale?

Pieter

That crossed my mind about it about it being an Uebelmannius with scale. I took a close look with a magnifying glass and I dont think that it is scale. I will have to take a closer look at it again today just so I can rule that out.

Paul, also the dried flowers don't resemble those of Astrophytum. Astro flowers are larger and also they're usually aborted after drying.

Pieter

Its a cross between Notocactus ottonis and Astrophytum 'Superkabuto' :)

After checking pictures of Notocactus uebelmannianus (now Parodia werneri)in both books and on the net, I think I would have to agree with Peter in that is probably what it is. Probably a yellow flowered form. When it flowers it will be a sure ID.

Looking at the flecking again with a magnifying glass in good light, it still looks very very similar to the flecking on a superkabuto. Of course, there are many types of scale and this may be one that I have never seen before. So just to make sure, I am going to get out the Malathion and give it a good spraying and see what happens.

That can't be scale, they don't spread out evenly all over the plant in nice patterns like that. It must be flecking, which means it is almost certainly some form of Astrophytum hybrid. The resemblance to a Notocactus is uncanny, but probably just a resemblance. Try scraping at the flecks, scale will come off and be sticky. Best not to spray if you don't have to.

Just for the heck of it, here is a top view of the plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Top view of mystery plant

Yes good idea: try to scrape of some of the scale/flecks. You'll see very fast what your plant really is then.
Pieetr

I scraped at the flecks with a toothpick and they came off fairly easily. I think that it is scale. I tried it on a superkabuto and the flecks do not come off very easily.

I guess the scale fooled me. It was very hard to tell just by looking at it. Chalk this up to experience, I guess. Thanks for the advice.

An expert says this is a cross between a heavily-flecked Astrophytum capricorne cultivar and an Astrophytum Superkabuto. If so, it is quite a desirable plant.

A Notocactus with that much scale would not be a desirable plant :)

Hmmm I never saw floral remains of this type on an Astro. Astro flowers are bigger then that and the floral remains fall off easily. Notocactus flowers do stay on the plant after they wilted and they do have about the same size and shape as seen on the photo.