mammillaria vetula ssp vetula.
why not so common like ssp gracilis?

I really don't know why vetula ssp vetula is uncommon these days. I cannot find any seed sellers even who have seed with field numbers either, though I have looked. I have one old plant, which I originally bought as magneticola, and I think that next time I repot it, I shall have to take off some of the offsets. It is a pretty tough plant as it survived a heating failure in 2000 when many of my Mamms then didn't.
If anyone knows of documented seed, I'd love to know!

to-day an italian friend sent me this photo.....
mammillaria vetula ssp vetula with purple flowers??

.....

Hi Maurillio,
I also have a plant like this. I bought it at Southfield ( a British nursery) in 1998. It is identical to the photos you have posted, but iI have it listed as a hybrid. I think that it was actually labelled as M. vetula f, pink flowers. I think I added the hybrid bit, as I have not seen any plants with field numbers, let alone one for a pink flowered form.
If it is a naturally opccurring form, it could be that it was produced in cultivation, but as a natural sport rather than a hybrid.
It would be good to know more.

I know this plant has ' Darley Star ' and from what I can recall it was named by Brian Fern at Abbey Brook Cactus Nursery. I do not know if he a) found it in the nursery, b) made a cross himself or c ) got the plant from some where else and diecided to give it a name.