Xerophyte

Habit

Plants usually solitary, sometimes branching basally and from the sides to form small clumps. Each head is surrounded by a complete ring of star-like purple-pink flowers.

Central Spines

2-4, stiff, straight, very short 2-3 mm long, white,cream or pale yellow, with brownish tips.

Seeds

Pale brown.

Description

Mammillaria albilanata Backeberg (Mammillaria fitauxiana Backeberg) is a clumping cactus species typically so densely spined and woolly in the tubercular axils that the epidermis is almost completely concealed. There are four subspecies recognized the nominate, oaxacana D.R.Hunt, reppenhagenii (D.R.Hunt) D.R.Hunt and tegelbergiana (G.E.Linds.) D.R.Hunt.

Roots

Fibrous.

Tubercles

Grey-green, spiralling, firm, without latex, axils coarsely woolly.

Flowers

Very small (7-8 mm long) circling the crown of the plant. Carmine to purplish pink to pink.

Blooming Season

Late spring onwards.

Stem

Spherical-flattened, elongate or shortly cylindrical, sunken apically, to 15 cm high and 8 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

15-26, stiff, straight to slightly curved, chalky white, 2-4 mm long.

Fruits

Clavate, pink to red.