Xerophyte

Habit

The plants in habitat stay solitary for a long time and clusters only after several years if at all. In cultivation it clusters readily forming large mounds in a few year.

Central Spines

One solitary, occasionally up to 3, porrect, needle-like, slender, similar to the radials but usually darker, purplish brown, with a blackish tip.

Seeds

Blackish brown.

Description

Mammillaria melaleucaSN|15699]]SN|15699]] (Syn

Roots

Taproot, merging with stem forming a stout tuberous rootstock.

Tubercles

Prominent, quite firm, ovate obtuse up to 5 cm long, rounded apically, somewhat glaucous, without latex, axils naked.

Flowers

Funnelform, citron-yellow, sweetly scented, 3-4(-6) cm long and in diameter at anthesis. Tepals few, fused at the base, yellow with red tips and pinkish-red stripes on the backside.

Blooming Season

Spring.

Stem

Globose, about 10 cm hight, bright-green, without milky sap.

Radial Spines

6-12 widely spreading, acicular, nearly straight, stiff but not rigid, approx. 2,5 mm long, the 4 upper ones often longer, white to pale yellow, swollen and darker at base and slightly puberulent when young, lower ones white.

Fruits

Oblong green to greenish brown partly reddish.

Areoles

With white hairs when young, in age naked.