Quaqua inversa (N.E.Br.) Bruyns

Small succulent forming clump 60-300 mm diam. Stems 50-250 mm long, 10-25 mm thick, erect, greyish to purplish green; tubercles 4-10 mm long, stoutly conical, spreading to slightly decurved, joined at bases into 4 angles along stem, each tipped with sharp hardened yellow tooth. Inflorescences of 1-3 usually successively opening flowers towards tips of stems; pedicel 2-8 mm long, <1 mm thick, spreading with flower facing horizontally to descending and holding flower facing downwards (rarely upwards); sepals 1.5-2.5 mm long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla 10.5-15.0(-21) mm diam., ± rotate; outside pale reddish green; inside with lobes pale yellow or green in upper half to third and pale to wine-red to maroon (sometimes spotted and barred with white) below and onto united part becoming faintly red-spotted on white background in tube, glabrous and smooth; tube 1.0-2.5 mm deep, broadly conical to shallowly bowl-shaped, corolla slightly thickened around mouth; lobes 3.5-8.0 mm long, 2-3(-4) mm broad at base, ascending to spreading, ovate-lanceolate, acute, upper yellow to green portion slightly thickened, margins slightly recurved and with spathulate purple cilia up to 2 mm long. Corona 1.5-3.5 mm diam., dark maroon to red (occasionally pink), raised on short stipe <0.5 mm long; outer lobes 1.0-1.5 mm long, ascending, linear, often notched or slightly bifid at apex, lightly channelled down inner face towards base, fused laterally to inner lobes at base only; inner lobes ±0.5 mm long, adpressed to backs of and usually covering anthers entirely, linear, truncate-emarginate, dorsiventrally flattened, usually with conspicuous spreading to erect truncate-emarginate ridge-like dorsal projection.