Publication: J. Mammillaria Soc. 47(3): 62. 2007 [Aug 2007]
Description
Plants are usually unbranched or slowly clustering, deep-seated in substrate, and inconspicuous.
Stems: Flat-globular , 1 to 3 cm high, 2.5 - 6 cm in diameter. The axil is naked.
Roots: Diffuse, not enlarged.
Radial spines: 26 - 36, glassy white, brown tipped, 2 - 6 mm long.
Central spines: Absent.
Flowers: 18 - 20 mm long, 16 - 18 mm in diameter, white or cream, usually with sharply defined midstripes of tan-pink or brown,
Blooming season: From January to March
Fruits: Scarlet, cylindrical or clavate, 10-25 mm long, with floral remnant persistent, ripening in June August.
Origin and Habitat
Zacatecas, Mexico.
Altitude: 2100-2400 metres above sea level.
Cultivation and Propagation
This plant has not the fame to be easy to cultivate, but in good conditions with excellent ventilation, it grows without difficulty. It is especially sensitive to overwatering. So careful watering and an open mineral potting soil are a must. Avoid the use of peat or other humus sources in the potting mixture. Don’t add limestone to the potting mix which must be moderately acidic. Can be sensitive to frost (but if dry they are resistant to -5° C). Requires maximum sun exposure to reach its full potential and to achieve success in flowering. A winter rest that allows the plant to shrivel (perhaps losing up to 25% of its summer height) will encourage flowering and long time survival. Be careful to encourage slow growth. Provide very good ventilation.
Propagation: Direct sow after last frost. (it usually doesn’t produces offsets).
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006 ISBN 0953813444, 9780953813445
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John Pilbeam (1999) “Mammillaria The Cactus File Handbook” Nuffield Press. ISBN 10: 0952830280
Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” Courier Dover Publications, 1963
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Edward F. Anderson “The Cactus Family” Timber Press, 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/ago/2011
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