Sorry for the delay in responding. I thought I'd get an email when someone posted. I looked at the plants suggested. My mom said the closes one is the rubber tree. I found a pic of a Castilla elastica leaf that she said would look like the plant she saw if the leaf was smaller. [http://www.hear.org/pier/imagepages/singles/caelap14.htm] I'm not sure if this plant was bought in a store. It's more likely someone went looking for the plant, dug it up and brought it home. My mom said she suspected the person who gave it to them knew about the plant and that's the reason they past the plant to them. My aunt thinks there is a picture of the plant (they thought it was a nice looking plant and had original intended to keep it) and she's looking for it. I'll post it if it's found.

This was difficult ... Like an L. principis, but shorter tubercles and almost no spines sounds like Ariocarpus. The reference to a a bright green koosh ball puzzles me. I thought about Mammillaria luethyi, but it is almost black. Which one of Ariocarpus and M. luethyi does "your" plant resemble most, and how does it differ from them?

Nope, none of those. This is a pretty obscure herb. I've beeing trying to ID this for two years now. I saw it for sale at Well Sweep Herb Farm here in NJ and meant to write it down but became distracted by all the other great herbs! Guess I gotta take a picture. Will post when I've done that. Thanks for your help.

well, the horns were definitely more like the head of the lark, but you are right I would have noticed the specific markings of a mature male. Horned larks are not really in our area except rarely in the winter. Streaked larks are around but I have never seen one. Probably more likely would be juvenile house finch since I have oodles of finches. thanks