Xerophyte

Habit

It is usually solitary (it has a tendency to remain the same in the culture). It reveals its true beauty only as it becomes 6-10 years old, and reaches 20 cm or more in diameter.

Central Spines

Usually 4 (but sometime up to 6), straight, stronger than the radial, brownish, the uppermost one curved, one descending, 12 - 25 mm long.

Seeds

Brown.

Description

Mammillaria zeyerianaSN|15974]]SN|15975]] is one of the largest species in the genus and usually solitary. It is also known by many to be synonymous with Mammillaria grusoniiSN|15975]]SN|15974]], but not sufficiently differentiated and considered merely a local variant of the latter (if not the same). It has spines of intermediate measurement, of which the radials are 10 to 15, 8-15 mm long, and the centrals are usually 4 stronger than the radial, 12-25 mm long. The flowers are similar to the type species.

Tubercles

Conical, terete, in 13 or 21 spirals, basally four-angled, slightly carinate, 10 to 12 mm tall, without latex, the axil is naked or sparingly woolly.

Flowers

Bell shaped, funnel-form, diurnal, light yellow-cream or pinkish with darker (brown or purple) midstripe with a yellowish throat, up to 25 mm long and in diameter.

Blooming Season

Spring, and flowers remain open for about three or four days.

Stem

Hemispherical or conical to short cylindrical, pale greyish green, up to 15(-30) cm tall and 10-25 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

10-15, straight, needle-like, upper ones shorter, 8-15 mm long, at whitish to reddish, tipped brown, later grey or snowy- white.

Fruits

Scarlet, club shaped.

Areoles

Elliptic, 3 mm long.