Mammillaria phitauiana

Mammillaria phitauiana (Baxter) Werdermann in Backeb., Ncue Kakteen 96. 1931,
Neomammillaria phitauiana Baxter in Cact. Succ. J. Amer. 2 : 471, 1931, with illustrations.
Clustered, stems simple, occasionally branching near the base, cylindric to 15 cm. tall, from fibrous roots; tubercles without milky sap; axils
with about 20 bristles.
Central spines 4, 4-6 mm. long all straight, or one hooked in young plants, upper half brown lower half white; radial spines 24, 4-12 mm. long, lower longest, white, bristly. Flowers 12-15 mm. long, white, outer segments with red midrib; fruit globose to clavate, red, about 1 cm. long; seeds black, less than 0.5 mm. long.
MEXICO: Baja California, near Todos Santos, lower slope of the Sierra de la Laguna, north slope, 800 m. elevation, Rancho del Chino, in almost full shade of trees, 5 April 1930, E.M. Baxter in US1491115!
Baxter described Rancho del Chino as 30 miles east of Todos Santos,
Later, H.E. Gates (in Cact. Suce, J. Amer. 3 : 5, 1931) said that Baxter located the species 'a little too far away from Todos Santos'.
One of the microspecies of the M. dioica group from southern Baja California.
The epithet 'phitauiana' is 'in honor of my Fraternity, Phy Kappa Tau'.








Mammillaria phitauiana SB 1259
SB 1259 -  North of San Josè del Cabo, south Baja California - Mexico
















Mammillaria phitauiana