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Frailea mammifera forma cristata

CACTUS ART
NURSERY

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of Cacti and Succulents.


Frailea mammifera forma cristata
This is a mall sized but charming plant with sulphur-yellow spines

 


The crested form - similarly to the normal plants - produces cleistogamus flowers and self pollinated fruits. The normal flowers (seldom seen) will open only in great heat on the hottest, brightest, sunny afternoon , if at all.

Description:  The standard  F. mammifera  is a  well known miniature plant. The crest form - despite to its beauty - is still very rare and sought after by collectors, for it display of colours.
Stem: It is diminutive in sizelossy dark green and purple.
Ribs: With round and tapering tubercles.
Areoles: Placed in the upper side of the tubercles.
Central spines: 2-4, erect, golden to brown, stout, 2-3 mm long.
Radial spines: 18-20, spreading, yellowish or whitish, thin, 1,5-2 mm long.
Roots: Fat central tap root.
Flowers: Infundibuliform, larger than the plant itself, sulphur-yellow, 2,5 cm in diameter; tepals abruptly acuminate, long and slender, stigma-lobes 5-7.  But don't be disappointed when the easily produced buds fail to open.  Fraileas are cleistogamous, meaning that their flowers produce seed without even opening. Without the need for pollination, the buds rarely reach full bloom and remain closed. They will open only in great heat in the hottest, brightest, afternoon sun, if at all.
Fruit: Up to 8 mm in diameter.  Dry,  indehiscent, that detaches easily, pericarp membranous, fragile that break easily, releasing the seed.

 

Cultivation:  Grow them in rich, porous soil, and let them dry out between waterings.  These plants need a minimum temperature of 5-10° C (but occasionally temperatures of a few degrees below 0° are not dangerous) .
Sun Exposure:  It enjoys full sun, and it can take on a near black appearance when kept in bright light.  In a shaded position the plants grow faster, but are not flat shaped or dark coloured.
Characteristically, during the dry season plants retract completely under the ground, both in the wild and in cultivation too.

Propagation:  With fresh harvested  seeds or (rarely) by grafting.

Photo gallery: Alphabetical listing of Cactus and Succulent pictures published in this site.

Photo gallery FRAILEA


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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific Name: Frailea mammifera A.F.H. Buining & A.J. Brederoo, Kakteenkunde 50-51: CVIe, 1972

Origin Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES Appendix II


 

 



This species usually has cleistogamus flowers that fail to open.
 

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Frailea mammifera.

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.