The Sand Dollar Cactus of South Texas

It was a nice day for an Astrophytum asterias survey three days ago, one of rhe most endangered cactus species in the US.

I'm this particular setting they're in a lower-lying area a few feet below the surrounding thornscrub where water pools up and the presence of numerous salt-tolerant plants as well as plenty of dead and dwarfed mesquite indicates a higher salinity in the soil, which the Astrophytum and many other cacti don't need but can apparently tolerate.

Cool to get an up close personal view of these desert termites, as well, which helps recycle nutrients back into the soil. They build these little tunnel

Thankfully this property is protected but there are so many others that aren't, as this entire area experiences a recent boom in develop from the death cult of endless consumer sprawl further East.


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