Specie con stupenda con imponenti spine uncinate. Produce fiori bianco rosati in primavera. La cosiddetta forma "cowperi" si distingue per il colorito giallo della spinagione. Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family) Mammillaria cowperae Shurly
in Cact. & Succ. J. Gt. Brit. 1959
Accepted Scientific Name: Mammillaria moelleriana Boed.
Zeitschrift für Sukkulentenkunde. Berlin 1: 213. 1924. Series: Pectiniferae Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2 Distribution: Mexico (Durango, Zacatecas) Altitude 2.250 - 2.600 m.
Etymology: Named after Mrs. Jane Katharine Cowper (b. 1932), the wife of James Denis Cowper, prominent English expert of cacti (especially Mammillaria). Synonyms: - Escobariopsis moelleriana
- Mammillaria cowperae
- Neomammillaria moelleriana (Boed.) Britton & Rose
In: Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 23(5): 1678. 1926 - Ebnerelia moelleriana (Boedeker) Buxbaum 1951
- Chilita moelleriana (Boedeker) Buxbaum 1954
- Mammillaria moelleriana f. cowperae
- Mammillaria moelleriana var. cowperae
 Mammillaria cowperae (Yellow spined form of M. moelleriana)
This species has fierce wonderful spines.
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| Morphology (Identifying Characteristics): M. moelleriana is a small cactus that appears above the ground as a squat, spherical stem, completely covered by very strong hooked spines, and usually solitary. In cultivation the plant's stem may be cylindrical. it is also one of the more difficult to grow, as it is subject to losing its roots. The yellow spined form is often labelled M. cowperae.
Stem: Flattened globose to short cylindrical, centrally depressed, up to 10 cm in diameter, 13 cm tall, glossy green. Tubercle firm, cylindrical to ovoid with woolly axil. Without latex.
Radial spine: 35 to 50, white with yellow bases, needle-like, 7 - 9 mm long.
Central spine: 8 to 10, honey yellow to dark reddish brown, with yellow bases, 20 - 30 mm long, lower 2 - 4 hooked, upper ones shorter and straight.
Flowers: White or light pink flowers, with darker midveins, up to 1.8 cm in diameter.
Fruit: Club shaped, greenish white, to 15 mm long.
Seed: Black.
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Cultivation: One of the more difficult species to grow, this plant is very rot prone and temperamental when cultivated on its own roots, but it is easy to grow if grafted. Mammillaria pectinifera should be kept in a deep pot with a veryl oose and open potting mineral substrate. Watering during the active growing season (spring and summer), this will encourage steady growth. But be careful with watering, which all thick rooted species require (rot sensitive). Keep dry during the winter rest. Strong filtered light will encourage the formation of heavy spination.
Fertilize every 2 weeks with diluted high potassium fertilizer when the plant is in bud. Light shade or full sun exposures. Propagation: Direct sow after last frost. (seldom produces offsets) |
