Accepted Scientific Name: Mammillaria perezdelarosae Bravo & Scheinvar
Cact. Suc. Mex. 30(4): 76 (1985).
Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Prof. Ilham Alakbarov
Origin and Habitat: Mexico Northeast, Zacatecas, Municipio Via Garcia, Mexico.
Altitude : 2.000 m. above sea level.
Habitat: It grow among volcanic rocks. It is a critically endangered species with less than 1000 individuals surviving in habitat.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Mammillaria perezdelarosae
Description: Mammillaria perezdelarosaeSN|11894]]SN|11894]] v. andersonii is a marvellous tiny cactus distinguishable from the standard species for its smaller size, slower growth and straight central spines (not hooked). It is believed to be one of the most beautiful Mammillaria.
Stem: Solitary, globose to somehow elongated in cultivation about 2-(-5) cm tall and maybe 2,5 cm in diameter, it is one of those plants that grows much taller in cultivation in our light levels than it does in habitat, but this subspecies doesn't seem to share that tendency. Usually without latex.
Tubercles: Conical with rounded tips, 2 mm wide and long.
Axil:With some wool.
Radial spines: 50-63 about 4 mm long, symmetrically arranged, pectinate, aciculate, white to hyaline.
Central spines: One straight, ascending, dark brown or black (red-brown when young) with brownish to yellowish base.
Flowers: Funnelform, 6 mm long and 8 mm wide, shiny, pale yellowish (not pink) with pale brownish midstripe. It is not surprising to see them in flower at little more that 1cm across.
Fruit: Green, club shaped, 2 mm long and wide.
Seed: Brownish black, 1 mm long and 0.6 mm wide.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Mammillaria bombycina group
- Mammillaria bombycina Quehl: Solitary or clustering cactus, some clones cluster aggressively and can form 50-90 cm wide mounds. It combines clean, glassy white radial spines with hooked reddish-brown centrals.This plant will produce several complete circles of contrasting light carmine flowers.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. albicentralis hort.: Has evenly white or creamy-white hooked central spines, (tips never reddish-brown). Cultivated form.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. flavispina hort.: Has evenly creamy-yellow or yellow hooked central spines, (tips never reddish-brown). Cultivated form.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. monstruosa green clone hort.: It is a strange monstrous cactus cultivar that forms very rubbery and squishy green and purple glob.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. monstruosa white clone hort.: It cluster aggressively and forms a gorgeous white mounds with a fluffy appearance.
- Mammillaria bombycina cv. Split Spine: This very rare cultivar has unique "Split spines". This is an exclusive feature never seen in other cacti.
- Mammillaria perezdelarosae Bravo & Scheinvar: Differs from Mammillaria bombycina in its darker centrals and denser, pectinately arranged radials that completely conceal the epidermis, and in its paler pink flowers.
- Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana W.A.Fitz Maur. & B.Fitz Maur.: distinguishable for the smaller size, slower growth and straight central spines (not hooked). It is believed to be one of the most beautiful Mammillaria. Distribution: Northeast, Zacatecas, Municipio Via Garcia
- Mammillaria perezdelarosae f. cristata hort.: crested form with stems densely covered with glassy white radial spines with hooked dark-brown centrals. It is one of the more beautiful crested Mammillaria.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
3) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
4) John Pilbeam “Mammillaria: the cactus file handbook” Cirio Publishing Services Ltd Dec/30,/1999
Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Alexander Arzberger Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Agócs György Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Agócs György Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Viviana Alejandra Castro Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Alexander Arzberger Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana Photo by: Alexander Arzberger Cultivation and Propagation: Mammillaria perezdelarosaeSN|11894]]SN|11894]] subs. andersoniana is a great looking cactus with showy greenish white flowers, but is very sensitive overwatering.
Soil: Plants should be allowed to become crowded in their pot. Keep in shallow pot.
Soils: It likes very porous standard neutral cactus mix soil.
Repotting: Use pot with good drainage. Plants should be allowed to become crowded in their pot. Keep in shallow pot.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Water requirements: It needs regular water but do not water again until dry, as it is specially sensitive to over watering. Also, it is a species that is dormant in the winter and require very little water (maybe even none) during the cold months.
Frost Tolerance: Light frost protection required. Minimum of 5ºC for safe growing (but hardy up to -5°C or less.)
Sun Exposure: High levels of light are needed to flower and for good spine development. Can be sunburned if moved from shade/greenhouse into full sun too quickly. During the spring it may be able to take full sun until the heat arrives at the end of spring. In an area that has hot afternoon sun, it may be able to take full morning sun, but requires afternoon shade or afternoon light shade.
Propagation: Seeds. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove the glass cover gradually as the plants develops and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants!
Your Photos
by Prof. Ilham Alakbarov
by Alexander Arzberger