Description
This monstrous form is characterised by slow growing and almost spineless stems. Only a few spines are produced at the base of new growing stems. It will form with time an irregular clump of stems.
Stem: Elongated, cylindrical, finger-like, 1 - 3 cm in diameter (but usually shorter than in the standard form).
Roots: Fibrose.
Tubercles: Tubercles flattish, rounded irregularly, arranged in a spiral. The axil is naked.
Radial spines: Only in the the basal portion of the stems, variable in number, up to 14 arranged as a star, golden yellow, slender, needle-like, up to12 mm long.
Central spines: Usually absent,.
Flowers: Flesh coloured, flushed pink, up to 10 mm in length and in diameter.
Blooming season: Spring.
Fruits: Unknown.
Origin and Habitat
Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)
Cultivation and Propagation
This rare cultivar is slow growing and tricky to cultivate. It will form quite large clumps of several offsets, if given time and grown properly. Water regularly from spring through fall, but do not over-water (rot prone). Let soil become moderately dry between thorough waterings. In winter, keep dry or water only enough to keep the plants from shriveling. Use pot with good drainage and a very porous potting media. Newly potted plants should not be fertilized for a year; established plants should be fertilized once each spring with a high potassium fertilizer.
It is quite frost resistant if kept dry, hardy as low as -4° C. Outside full sun or afternoon shade, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun, but high levels of light will encourage tight growth and flowering.
Propagation:: This species produce clumps of young plants at the base of the main stem, these can be removed at any time of the year. It can also be grown from seed.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures.
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Robert T. Craig “The Mammillaria handbook: with descriptions, illustrations, and key to the species of the genus Mammillaria of the Cactaceae” E P Publishing, 1945
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John Pilbeam “Mammillaria The Cactus File Handbook” Cirio Pub. Services, 01/Dec/1999Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
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James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
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David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006
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Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Sánchez , E., Guadalupe Martínez, J. & Bárcenas Luna, R. 2013. Mammillaria elongata. The “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.” Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 27 July 2014.
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Ulises Guzmán, Salvador Arias, Patricia Dávila, “Catálogo de cactáceas mexicanas” Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 2003, p.114.
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Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: “Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names” Birkhäuser 2004
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Christopher Brickell “RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers” Dorling Kindersley Ltd, 01/Sep/2010
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Haustein, Erik. “Der Kosmos-Kakteenführer.” Kosmos / Gesellschaft der Naturfreunde., Stuttgart, 1983
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Alfred Byrd Graf “Exotica, series 4 international: pictorial cyclopedia of exotic plants from tropical and near-tropic regions” Roehrs Co. Publishers, 1983
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