Xerophyte

Central Spines

Generally absent or sometime 1 erect fine acicular or awl-shaped, thicker at the base. Most of the clones have short, light grey spines 4-10 mm long. Occasionally, they have longer brown or black central spines (Up to 20 mm long).

Seeds

Brown, very small.

Description

Mammillaria huitzilopochtliSN|15536]]SN|15536]] is a solitary or slowly clumping cactus forming untidy clumps, up to 8 cm tall and 6 cm wide. Two subspecies are recognized, the nominate and ssp. niduliformis (A.B.Lau) Pilbeam.

Note

It will form pretty ring of beautiful pinkish red flowers at Xmas followed by a crown of little red fruit in May.

Tubercles

compressed on the sides, cylindrical to conical. The axil is filled by dense white wool in the flowering area.

Flowers

Produces rings of bright pink to carmine, 12-15 mm long, 7-10 mm wide, often not opening widely. Stigmas carmine.

Blooming Season

It flowers in winter between October and December, and produces fruits between December and March

Stem

Dark green, at first spherical, later cylindric or club shaped, 8-15 cm high, 6-8 cm in diameter, apex slightly depressed.

Radial Spines

15 to 30, dense, pectinated, held close to stem, glassy white, brown at base, up to 1.5-3,5 mm long, straight or slightly bent.

Fruits

Red club-shaped to cylyndrical up to 15 mm long (frequently seedless in cultivation).