Xerophyte

Habit

Plants forming large clusters or mounds.

Seeds

Small, brown.

Description

Mammillaria varieaculeataSN|17002]]SN|17002]] (also spelled variaculeata) is a clumping cactus forking dichotomously (or basally) at maturity. The species is described as dimorphic, with a rather uninteresting short-spined juvenile form, before making a fierce and very showy mature dark brown spination. However the species comprises plants with variable spine length, in the same area it is possible to find both plant with short spines and long spines. Moreover, within the same clump, despite identical dimensions, the individual heads can acquire the definitive character at very different ages.

Tubercles

Closely set, pyramidal, firm, axils with 10-25 white bristles 4-8 mm long.

Flowers

Diurnal, small, funnelform, red, up to 15 mm long, and in diameter, rarely rising above the spines.

Blooming Season

Not known.

Stem

Globose to short cylindrical, curving pipe-shaped, ranging from green to dark green, to 13 cm or more high and 9 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

17-24, finely needle-like, white, yellowish brown basally, later dark brown, 4-8 mm long.

Fruits

Club shaped, scarlet, 15-20 mm long.

Areoles

Large, roundish whitish, at first woolly later almost naked.Central spines 1-5, fewer with age, needle-like, slightly bent, light brown, becoming darker and stonger with age, 5-10 mm at first, later to 25 mm (or more) long.