No. 52. MAMMILLARIA CENTRALIPLUMOSA
Original reference: H.W. Fittkau, Cactaceas y Succulentas Mexicanas 16,39,1971
Body : Cylindrical, simple or branching from the base, reaching 15 cm. in height at maturity and 4.5 cm. in diameter, dark green and the apex
not depressed. Root yellowish, flattened.
Tubercles: Conical to cylindrical with, a rounded ridge on the upper surface although this is barely visible at times. 8-9 mm. long and 7-8 mm.
wide at the base, spaced 6-8 mm. apart and set in 8 and 13 spirals; sap watery.
Areoles:0val with sparse white wool which disappears on the older growth.
Axils: With sparse white wool and, occasionally, as many as 4 white bristles.
Spines: Radial spines 20-25, 2-7 mm. long, the lateral ones being the longest, the bases slightly thickened and yellowish, the remainder
vitreous white or yellowish with a brown tip, straight, radiating and interlacing. Smooth except when new.
Central spines 4-9, the uppers 10-12 mm. in length, the lower ones 6-10mm. long, erect, usually straight but the three lowest ones
are sometimes hooked, red on the lower portion and tipped brown when new, later dark brown to black, thickened at the base, acicular,
very sharp and always plumose.
Flower: Appearing from February to May in a crown some 10-25 mm. from the apex. Campanulate, 17-19 mm. long. Perianth segments with tips recurved, about 24 in number, closely placed. Pericarp about 4.5 mm, long, the lower third whitish and the upper part green, slightly
narrowed at the receptacle, which is greenish below and pink above.
Lower segments of perianth scale-like, colourless or greenish.
Exterior segment lanceolate, ciliate. Inner perianth segments linear, 1.5 mm. wide, pointed or spathulate, rose colour, paler below and slightly purplish above. Stamens white, about 5 mm. long; anthers yellow, globose, turned towards the style which is 10-11 mm. long, white below and purplish pink above; stigma lobes 4-5, yellowish green, about 1 mm. long.
Fruit: Appearing from March to May, oblong-clavate, to 4 cm. long and 5-8 mm. diameter, pale rose below and brownish olive above, juicy.
Seed: Brown, ovoid, slightly flattened.
Type Locality: Near Calderon, in the State of Mexico, growing in tufaceous rock with some humus, at an altitude in the range 5500 to 6250 feet, in full sun or part shade.
From "The Journal of the Mammillaria Society" Vol.XV n.2 - April 1975
Mammillaria centraliplumosa REP 772
REP 772 - Yanu Piedra - Mexico State - Mexico
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