Mammillaria atroflorens

Mammillaria atroflorens: Curt Backeberg, 'Die Cactaceae', Vol.6, p.3892
Body:- Simple or branching with the individual heads up to 10 cm. tall and 7.5 cm. in diameter; fairly dark green.
Tubercles arranged in 13 and 21 spirals, quadrangular, upright, 9 mm. long and 6 mm. broad at the base, giving milky sap instantly when wounded.
The areoles are very woolly only near to the apex.
The depressed apex is covered by the brown spines;
Axils with a little white wool and several bristles, sometimes longer than the tubercles.
Spines:- Radial spines 8-9, samewhat porrect, to 5 mm. in length, whitish and tipped
faintly reddish brown, but sometimes completely white.
Central spines 4? in cross formation;, reddish brown, to 6 mm. in length, somewhat porrect, none placed centrally on the areoles.
Flower:- Dark carmine red,perianth margin entire; flower approximately 10 mm. broad.
Filaments and style white, stigma lobes light green.
Fruit:- To 2 cm. long and 6 mm. broad at the top, with the dried perianth persisting. The pulp is glassy transparent.
Seed:- Very light brown, nearly yellow, hilum near base.
Distribution:- Mexico; the exact environment is not known.
From "The Journal of the Mammillaria Society"   Vol.VI  n.3  June 1966


Mammillaria atroflorens

Mammillaria atroflorens