Xerophyte

Mila is a genus that is found in the hills and mountains of Peru. The stems are cylindrical, forming clumps and are very similar to the unrelated North American genus Echinocereus. And like some Echinocereus species, Mila displays a wide range of variation from one population to the next in habitat. As a result, many species have been described for the genus. However, throughout the range, there is difficulty determining where one species leaves off and another begins since the variation is gradual from one location to the next. As a result, most authors treat Mila as a monotypic genus with the single species, M. caespitosa. Stems are ribbed and may have spines which cover the stems or much shorter and less numerous. Flowers are funnel-shaped, yellow and just under an inch (2cm) in diameter. Mila is not common in cultivation.