Xerophyte

Habit

This cultivars is easily grown into crowded clumps or mounds, but it does often have an irregular pattern of offsetting. Most plants will offset readily, and clumps can be produced in a few years.

Description

Mammillaria cv. Chiara BlandoSN|20723]]SN|16505]] (or " Blando Chiara ") is one of the most beautiful cultivars obtained by the cactus grower Ignazio Blando (Trapani, Sicily, Italy). This cultivar is an odd monstrous plant with narrow spineless areoles derived from the even more rare Mammillaria cv. Blando that was found in a batch of Mammillaria gueldelmanniana guirocobensis, obtained from seeds purchased from Khores (Germany).

Similar Species

A similar abnormal uncoordinated form of vegetative growth, is also seen in Mammillaria pectinifera f. monstruosaSN|16505]]SN|20723]].

Tubercles

Hatchet-shaped, laterally compressed, and often thinner the the above standing areoles.

Spines

Absent, or few, very thin, bristly, white, less than 5 mm long scattered along the areole.Flowers. Not seen.

Stem

Depressed-globose to somewhat elongated (depending on growing condition) 3-7 cm in diameter, green, with white wool in the centre, and also in the older areoles.

Areoles

Very distinctive, conspicuous, in relief, extremely elongated, 7-20 mm long and 3-5 mm broad, densely covered with dull white felt.