Xerophyte

Central Spines

1, pointing upward, white, becoming brownish with age, needle-like, slightly flattened, to 5 mm long.

Sap

With latex.

Seeds

Light brown.

Description

Mammillaria matudaeSN|20917]]SN|20917]] is a columnar cactus that offsets basally to form wide clusters in time. The stem is quite tidy in youth and tends to recline as it elongates giving the old plant a characteristic sprawling habit. Each head is surrounded by a complete ring , 2-3 flowers thick, of starlike magenta flowers usually just 2-5 cm from the growing tip of the cactus. There are ample variations among spines colour. The var. robusta is distinguishable for the spines that are longer than the type.

Axils

Naked.

Tubercles

Conical.

Flowers

Brilliant pink to purplish-red infundibuliform and about 12 mm long.

Blooming Season

March and April.

Stem

Cylindrical, 10-20 cm or more high, to 3 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

18-20 very short only 2-3 mm long, lower ones longest, closely cropped, pectinate and appressed (curved toward body), white, translucent, with yellowish base.

Fruits

Red with greenish tint, to 12 mm long.