Xerophyte

Habit

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

Central Spines

Usually 2, occasionally 1, slightly curved, needle-like, glassy white to yellowish white, with brown tips, to 9 mm long.

Seeds

Brown.

Description

Mammillaria halbingeriSN|15150]]SN|20848]] is a densely spined cactus with small sulphur yellow 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. This is a controversial species related (and possibly conspecific) with Mammillaria albilanataSN|20848]]SN|15150]]. It is a very poorly known taxon which may not be a good species.

Tubercles

Ovate to conical, crowded, not lactiferous, axils with wool. Tubercule arrangement 13 and 21.

Flowers

Funnelform, in a ring around the sides of the stem, typically sulphur yellow with pale pink margins, but also – and more commonly - pink or magenta to 12 mm in diameter.

Stem

Globose to elongate, glossy, light green, to 10 cm high and 8 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

21-28, thin, needle-like, glassy white, 5-8 mm long.

Fruits

Small, whitish.