A little hard to tell from the pic, but I think it may be Euphorbia anoplia aka Tanzanian zipper plant. Is it strongly banded?

MBT,

It looks like a Huernia/Caralluma/some sort of succulent Asclepiad. Flowers will be the defining feature, and you should get them this year - it looks old enough.

Yes, Huernia is a good thought. And those good with the ID might suggest that when it does bloom you investigate H. thuretii--possible ssp. thuretii.

A thought.

Al

Paracelsus,

That's what I was worried about. As I was opening this post again I was thinking to myself; Please don't let it be a Euphorbia." I don't know it if will make a difference but I see no banding and you can get a larger view by clicking on the picture.

Jeffy,

I bought it because to my untrained eyes it looked like a Huernia or something similar. It has already bloomed once that I can tell. There is a dried up flower hanging on, perhaps it bloomed this winter? I should have taken a camera with me, the nursery I was in had a lot of different C&S and many were in bloom and unknown to me. I wish I lived close to this nursery I'd go back and pick up more plants they were pretty inexpensive when I consider the sizes and variety compared to what I see in the big box stores.

Well, I'm going to go out on my own, no offense Jeffrey, and suggest that it is Euphorbia resinifera. Check out the link and see if this doesn't look like your plant... although this shows a badly scarred specimen. You can Google some other images for comparison.

If it is resinifera, you have a very cool plant - in the ground, it can form a dense, low mound to 5-6 ft across. (That won't happen in Chicago, obviously.) It could also be some kind of stapelia or asclepiad; as Jeffrey says, the flowers will tell you more. In lieu of waiting for it to bloom, you can at least check for milky sap to determine if it is indeed a euphorb.

Here is a link that might be useful: Euphorbia resinifera, a bit the worse for wear

MBT,

Get thee to a nunnery, at least a succulent one. I would say that dried-up flower is another piece of evidence that it's an Asclepiad, but I'm not always correct.

Dear Patrick,

None taken - a difference of opinion, courteously given, is one of a vanishing breed of things that make me less ignorant, and I thank you for it. Getting to your last suggestion, if it's an Asclepiad (milkweed), might it also bleed white?

I'd hate it if MBT performed the ultimate test of rubbing some of the sap on a part of his body that contains mucous membranes. I mean, that would nearly qualify as the ultimate in research. Those Chicago succulentists are a hardy bunch, but still....

Jeffrey, of course an asclepiad would also have milky sap... what was I thinking? (Or not thinking?) That's what I get for trying to be erudite while half my garden is being ripped out by the roots; I'm a little distracted today.

And you folks must have much better eyesight than I, because I can't see a dried flower to save my life! :-)

After looking at the larger image, I retract my suggestion. Also, a dried-up flower, although possibly not evidence of Asclepiadicity, is certainly not consistant with E. anoplia.

Although I agree with Jeffrey that he is not always correct, I will defer to his putative identification. Jeffrey, is not the milky sap of the Asclepias also toxic? If so, then MBT's rash experiment would have unfortunate results in any event. I would hope that Chicago succulentists are as wise as they are hardy :)

I too think it is some sort of Asclep...likely a Huernia.
Check out this site.

Great photos...

Here is a link that might be useful: cool asclep site...

Dear Patrick,

I didn't spot a dried flower either, but I did appear as one once.

Dear Brad,

You're quite correct about me being not correct all the time - I shoot for blazing mediocrity, so anytime I'm right more than half the time I am shamelessly pleased with myself.

I don't think the sap from Asclepiads is toxic - never have I heard of that.

Nice pun, btw.

Dear Gil,

I had forgotten about that site, too - thanks.

(I would have guessed Stapeliad). Well I too looked for the dried flower & failed to spot it, tho' my vision's stil pretty good.

I collect Hoyas (which are also Asclepiads) & some exude a lot of sap. A couple of varieties, bleed white latex quite heavily, I'm pretty sure I would have heard about it if the sap were toxic, suspect I would have even been cautioned about. A couple of these bleed quite readily when you bends their stems, & end up looking like they're dripping Elmer's glue. FWIW

I dont know much about huernias, or stapellias, though I have some. It does not look like a huernia to me.

I am certain that it an Euphorbia [though i can be persuaded otherwise].

It could be an Euphorbia resinifera...but I doubt it.

The small spent flower is the clue . Euphorbias are distinguished from Stapelias and Huernias and most cacti by the fact that they have very small flowers . When they are spent they develop a seed which is usually v. small and grey. When these fall off a small spike is left . these spikes are brittle and not sharp.

I see the beginings of small greeny spiles near the tip again suggestive of an Euphorbia.

If you were to nick the skin and a milky sap is exuded it is again suggestive of it being an Euphorbia.

I believe it to be a young E. horrida or a hybrid of same. As it ages the spikes become more pronounced.. but this is a baby .

The sap is poisonous but no big deal, just dont eat it or rub it in your eyes and wash it off.

Personally the fact that it is an euphorbia makes it all the more interesting and desirable.

I suspect you bought it because you liked it..nurture it.

thanks for the comments and help. I'm going to go out and see if I can get a friend to let me perform an experiemnt on him with the sap. LOL.