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Mammillaria lasiacantha subsp. egregia SB30 Jimenez, Chihuahua, Mexico
An attractive small snow-white ball with many short spines.
Seldom seen in collections. Very nice plant.
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Description: Plants usually unbranched,
deep-seated in substrate and inconspicuous.
Stems: Spheric, that become somewhat cylindrical with age,
grey-green, up to 5 cm in diameter × 2-7 cm tall,
Tubercles: Cylindrical, without latex, axils bare;
Roots: Diffuse, not enlarged.
Spines: 50 or more per areole, in several series but all equally
thin, mostly appressed, white, innocuous, bristle-like, 0,5-6 mm,
glabrous, all interpreted as radial, innermost
spines shortest.
Central: Absent.
Flowers: Approx 1 cm
long and in diameter; dirty greenish-white or cream, usually with
sharply defined midstripes of reddish-brown.
Blooming season (In Europe): January to March
Fruits: Scarlet, cylindrical or clavate, 10-25 mm long, with floral
remnant persistent, ripening in June-August.
Seed: Black.
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More than 50 white radials in each areole.
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An mature specimen from Vista Hermosa, Querétaro, Mexico (almost
20 years old)
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Cultivation: This plant
is not famous for being easy to cultivate, but in good conditions
with excellent
ventilation,
it grows without difficulty. It is especially sensitive to over-watering.
So careful watering and an open
mineral
potting soil are a must.
Avoid
the use of
peat or other
humus sources in the
potting mixture.
Don't add
limestone
to the potting mix, which must be moderately acidic.
Can be sensitive to frost (but if dry
plants are resistant to
-5° C). Requires
maximum
sun exposure
to reach its full potential
and to
achieve success in
flowering.
A winter rest that allows the plant to shrivel (perhaps losing up to
25% of its summer height) will encourage flowering and long
term
survival. Be careful to encourage slow growth.
Provide very good
ventilation.
Propagation: Direct sow
after last frost. (it usually doesn't produces offsets).
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Scientific name:
Mammillaria lasiacantha subsp. egregia
(Backeberg ex H. Rogozinski & Appenzeller
1989) D. R. Hunt 1998
First description: by Backeberg, Die Cact. 5: 3261, t.237
fig. 3025 (1961)
Origin: Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico. Altitude 800 -
1.900 m.
Conservation status:
Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
Common Names include: Golf-ball Pincushion,
Lace-spine Cactus
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Synonyms:
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Mammillaria
egregia
Backeb. ex
H.Rogozinski & Appenzeller 1989
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Escobariopsis lasiacantha spp. egregia
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Flowers are white, with a darker midstrip
Photo
of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of the
Lasiacanthae group. (This
taxon has lots of synonyms with several controversial varieties
and subspecies)
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Cultivation and Mail Sale 
