Xerophyte

Habit

Simple at first, later branching basally and from the sides to form clumps.

Central Spines

Usually 2 (sometimes 1 or 3, occasionally missing), very short, less than 3 mm long, rigid, white with dark brown tips

Description

Mammillaria supertextaSN|20905]]SN|20905]] is a clump forming cactus with small purple flowers in a ring around the sides of the stem. Its body is densely covered by crowded tubercles bearing short spines and abundant wool in their axils.

Tubercles

Small, 2-4 mm long, ovate to conical, crowded, not lactiferous. Axils very woolly, so that the tubercles are almost completely covered.

Flowers

Small, lateral (rather than near apex) pale to deep purplish red.

Chromosome Number

2n=22, x=11.

Stem

Obovate to globose, green, 10-13 cm tall, 8-10 cm in diameter somewhat umbilicate at apex.

Radial Spines

16-18, slender, stiff, bristle-like, chalky white, spreading lower ones longest, to 5 mm.

Fruits

Clavate bright red to crimson. They are 8 to 16 mm long and 3 to 5 mm thick. Seeds

Areoles

Tomentose when young.