Mammillaria spinosissima

Mammillaria spinosissima
First description by Lemaire, Cact. Aliq. Nov. 4 (1838)
Body: Plants solitary. Stems cylindrical, dark blue-green, rarely exceeding 30 cm in height, 6 – 7 cm ( 2.4 – 2.8 in) in diameter.
Tubercule: Ovate conical, four-sided basally.
Axils: Slightly woolly.
Radial spine: 20 – 25, white, bristle-like, 4 – 6 mm long.
Central spine: 12 – 15, dark pink, stronger than the radials and thicker at the base, straight, 10 – 12 mm long.
Flower: Purplish, 12 mm long and in diameter.
Fruit: Purplish red or greenish.
Seed: Brown.
Geographic Distribution: Morelos, Guerrero and Mexico, Mexico. Altitude 1.600 – 1.900 m.
From "Mammillarias.net".



Mammillaria spinosissima WM 1840
WM 1840 - Junction to Pilcaya - Mexico State - Mexico

Mammillaria spinosissima
Morelos, Guerrero - Mexico

Mammillaria spinosissima f. Malinalco
Malinalco - Mexico State - Mexico

Mammillaria spinosissima v. flava

Mammillaria pilcayensis
First description by Bravo, A; Inst. Biol. Mex. 28: 37(1958)
Body: Plants solitary.
Stems cylindrical, dark blue-green, up to 50 cm in lenght, 4 – 5 cm in diameter.
Tubercule: Ovate conical, four-sided basally.
Axil: Woolly and with 8 – 10 slender bristles..
Radial spine: 17, similar to the centrals.
Central spine: 17, thin, needle-like, translucent greyish white or yellow, sometimes brown tipped, 5 – 6 mm long.
Flower: Purplish, about 2 cm long and in diameter.
Fruit: Dull purplish red or greenish.
Seed: Brown.
Geographic Distribution: Guerrero, Mexico. Altitude 600 – 1.500 m.
From "Mammillarias.net".


Mammillaria spinosissima ssp. pilcayensis ML 26
ML 26 - Barranca de Pilcaya 1450m - Guerrero - Mexico

Mammillaria spinosissima ssp. pilcayensis ESP 7/55
ESP 7/55 - Maninaltenango - Mexico State - Mexico

Mammillaria spinosissima ssp. pilcayensis TL 386
TL 386 - Malinaltenango - Mexico State - Mexico
Photography and plant from PVV1962 - Voznesensk - Ukraine

Mammillaria spinosissima ssp. pilcayensis v. crocidiata

Hunt has changed the name of this taxon  on reducing it to a subspecies on M. spinosissima to reflect  the place of origin, rather than retaining Reppenhagen's epithet (M. crassior)  applied  somewhat inappropriately to a yellow-spined variant which has been known since the 19th century..




Mammillaria spinosissima ssp. tepoxtlana REP 761
REP 761 - Tlayacapan, 1150m - Morelos - Mexico
Also present in this Gallery like M. crassior