Mammillarias.net

Mammillaria backebergiana ssp backebergiana

First description by Buchenau 1966

Body: Plants usually solitary, cylindrical, to 30 cm (12 in) high, 5 - 6 cm (2 - 2.4 in) in diameter.

Roots:

Sap: with latex.

Tubercule arrangement:

Tubercule: Short pyramidal, not angled.

Axil: naked or with a few bristles.

Radial spine: 10 - 12, yellowish white with brown tips, becoming darker with age.

Central spine: 1 - 3, straight, needle-like, yellowish brown to brown, 7 - 8 mm (0.3 in) long.

Flower: Freely produced in several rings. Purplish red, 18 - 20 mm (0.7 - 0.8 in) long, 10 - 13 mm (0.4 - 0.5 in), in diameter. Stigmas green.

Fruit: dull green above, whitish below, tinting purplish red in maturity.

Seed: brown.

Flowering period in Cultivation (Europe):

Minimum temperature: -2° C

Habitat Substrate:

Geographic Distribution: Guerrero, Michoacan and Mexico, Mexico. Altitude 1.400 - 1.600 m.

Comments: Probably the greatest problem with growing this species is that it will become a tall column with age, and tend to lean or tip over its pot. Easily flowered, backegeriana doesn?t present any special challenges.

Bibliography: <br>John Pilbeam (1999) - Mammillaria The Cactus File Handbook - page 42. <br>Edward F. Anderson (2001) - The Cactus Family - page 406.

Synonymes: