WILDFLOWERS OF NEW MEXICO

Clusters may have more than 200 small, round stems branching from roots, with mature cylindric stems reaching 4–10-inches tall, depending on variety. Most of the silvery-white spines on the rows of free-standing nipples are flat-lying, with numerous spreading central spines. Note the whitish-pink flowers at the stem apex have white stigma lobes and bright yellow anthers, and the fruit is green. The spines obscure the stem.

FLOWER: March–June. Flowers  1/2–1-inch long (12–25 mm), 5/8-inch wide (15 mm), not opening fully wide, numerous petal-like tepals, whitish-pink, outer ones lined with fringe, inner ones darkest at base with a contrasting mid-stripe; stigma lobes white, anthers bright yellow, filaments white to magenta. Fruit cylindrical, 1/4–5/8-inch long (6–15 mm), green aging brownish-pink.

SPINES: Areoles on the 1/8–1/2-inch long (3.5–12 mm) nipples (tubercles) have 62–95 spines with 3 general types: 25–52 (74) snowy white, flat-lying radial spines averaging 1/4–inch long (6 mm); 1–12 inner central spines 1/8–5/8-inch long (2–15 mm); and 10–22 outer centrals 1/8–1/2-inch long (3–10 mm) white but developing dark tips.

HABITAT: Sandy, gravelly limestone soils, rocky outcrops, hillsides; desert grasslands and scrub, pinyon, oak, ponderosa woodlands.

ELEVATION: 3,750–7,000 feet.

RANGE: AZ, NM, TX.

SIMILAR SPECIES: This variable cactus has 9–10 described geographic races within its range and historically has been placed in 2 genre with 10 different species and variety names. Flora of North America doesn’t recognize any varieties, just morphotypes with a wide variation in characteristics. NM has 3–4 morphotypes with slightly different size and spination.  The confusing Coryphantha complex now includes Escobaria species (Powell) and is distinguished from Mammallaria by having a grove down the nipple and flowers at the plant apex, not in a circle around the apex.

NM COUNTIES: Southern NM in low-elevation, arid habitats: Chaves, Dona Ana, Eddy, Hidalgo, Luna, Otero.