Mammillaria polythele
Mammillaria polythele subsp. polythele
Mammillaria polythele is a species of the genus Mammillaria in the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The specific epithet polythele means vielwarzig '.
Description
Mammillaria polythele grows individually with a cylindrical, mostly upright sometimes prostrate body. The blue- green shoots are up to 60 inches high with a diameter of 5 to 15 centimeters. The warts are conspicuous, globose - conical. Perform abundant milky sap. The axillae are woolly. Central spines are completely absent. The spines are very variable. In the first juvenile stage only two available that are directed either upwards or downwards. Later, three to four or even three to eight spines of varying length. They are light to dark brown, sometimes reddish brown and up to 2.5 inches long.
The flowers are pink to rosy purple and up to 1 inches long. The clavate fruits are red. They contain dark brown seeds.
Distribution, systematics and hazard
Mammillaria polythele is common in the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Guanajuato and Querétaro.
The first description was in 1832 by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius. Synonyms of Mammillaria polythele Mart. are Mammillaria columnaris Mart. (1832 ), Mammillaria quadrispina Mart. (1832 ), Mammillaria affinis DC ( 1834), Mammillaria multi mom FMKnuth ex Backeb. & FMKnuth (1936 ), Mammillaria kelleriana Schmoll ex RTCraig, Mammillaria subdurispina Backeb. (1949 ), Mammillaria galeotti Scheidw. (1837 ), Mammillaria ingens Backeb. (1942 ), Mammillaria tetracantha Salm- Dyck ex Pfeiff. (1837 ), Mammillaria kewensis Salm- Dyck (1850), Mammillaria hidalgensis JAPurp. (1907 ), Neomammillaria hoffmanniana crucible ( 1934), Mammillaria neophaeacantha Black ex Backeb. (1949) and Mammillaria Xochipilli Repp. (1987).
We distinguish the following sub- types:
- Mammillaria polythele subsp. durispina ( Boed. ) D.R.Hunt: The first description was in 1928 as Mammillaria durispina by Frederick Boedeker. David Richard Hunt presented the way in 1997 as a subspecies of Mammillaria polythele. The shoots of the subspecies are usually 5 to 6 inches in diameter. The 6-8 spines radiate and vary in length up to 1.5 inches.
- Mammillaria polythele subsp. obconella ( Scheidw.. ) D.R.Hunt: The first description was in 1837 as Mammillaria obconella by Joseph Michel François Scheid Weiler ( 1799-1861 ). David Richard Hunt presented the way in 1997 as a subspecies of Mammillaria polythele. The shoots of the subspecies are usually 15 inches in diameter. The four radial spines are arranged differently and crosswise.
- Mammillaria polythele subsp. polythele: The nominate has shoots with a diameter of between 8 to 10 inches. Spines at first only two, later three to four.
In the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN, the type is known as " Least Concern ( LC) ," ie, than not led at risk.