Accepted Scientific Name: Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri (Rose) U.Guzmán
Cactaceae Syst. Init. 16: 18 (11 Oct. 2003) Remarks: first published in U.Guzmán et al., Catálogo Cact. Mex.: 120 (May 2003), without basionym reference
Origin and Habitat: Queretaro and adjacent areas in Hidalgo and Guanajuato, Mexico.
Type locality: San Juan del Rio and adjacent areas, Queretaro, Hidalgo, Central Mexico.
Altitude: 1800-2240 meters above sea level.
Habitat: It grows in dry areas among shrubs together with Stenocereus marginatusSN|8042]]SN|8042]], Ferocactus latispinusSN|4259]]SN|4259]], Myrtillocactus geometrizansSN|8050]]SN|8050]], Opuntia imbricataSN|8157]]SN|8157]], Ferocactus histrixSN|4300]]SN|4300]], Ferocactus latispinusSN|4259]]SN|4259]], Echinocereus cinerascensSN|7775]]SN|7775]], Coryphantha erectaSN|3914]]SN|3941]], Coryphantha radiansSN|3941]]SN|3914]], Mammillaria uncinataSN|11268]]SN|14267]], Mammillaria elongata, Mammillaria uberiformisSN|14267]]SN|11268]] and Agave salmiana.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Mammillaria crinita
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Mammillaria crinita DC.Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. 17: 112. 1828Synonymy: 50
Accepted name in llifle Database:Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei (Rogoz. & P.J.Braun)[Basionym: Mammillaria duwei Rogoz. & P.J.Braun 1985]Synonymy: 10
Accepted name in llifle Database:Mammillaria crinita subs. leucantha (Boed.) D.R.HuntMammillaria Postscripts 6: 6 (1997)Synonymy: 8
Accepted name in llifle Database:Mammillaria crinita f. nana (Backeb.)[Basionym: Mammillaria nana Backeb. 1966 ]Synonymy: 9
Accepted name in llifle Database:Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri (Rose) U.GuzmánCactaceae Syst. Init. 16: 18 (11 Oct. 2003) Remarks: first published in U.Guzmán et al., Catálogo Cact. Mex.: 120 (May 2003), without basionym referenceSynonymy: 9
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Common Names include:
SPANISH (Español): Biznaguita
Description: Mammillaria painteriSN|15655]]SN|8862]] is a small globular cactus, almost hidden by the spines. It is also known by many to be synonymous with Mammillaria crinitaSN|8864]]SN|8841]] subsp. crinita and is one of the several forms of it with red, brown or coffee coloured central spines (the other forms have yellow centrals). Other similar forms with dark central spines comprises: Mammillaria felipensisSN|8922]]SN|8908]], Mammillaria seidelianaSN|8979]]SN|8979]], Mammillaria trichacanthaSN|8908]]SN|8922]], and Mammillaria pubispinaSN|8841]]SN|8864]].
Habit: Plant solitary. With age it may offset from the base to form a small cluster.
Stem: Globose, dark green, about 2-8 high and cm in diameter. In its monstrous form, Mammillaria painteri f. monstruosaSN|8862]]SN|15655]], it can grow to be larger than that.
Tubercles: Conical or cylindrical, not compacted, usually without bristles in their axils, amd without latex.
Radial spines: About 20, bristly, stiff, white, flattened against the stem, puberulent under a hand lens.
Central spines: 4 or 5, sometimes absent, awl shaped, ascending, red to dark brown, one occasionally hooked, puberulent.
Flowers: Shallow and funnel-shaped 15 mm long, greenish white or pale light yellow. Rarely, it will sometimes produce light pink or magenta flowers as well, the outer segments brownish; inner perianth-segments broad, with an ovate acute tip; stamens white; stigma-lobes cream-coloured.
Fruits: Globose to ovate, green to bright red.
Seeds: Brownish black, coarsely pitted.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Mammillaria crinita complex
- Mammillaria aurihamata Boed.: has golden yellow hooked central spines. Distribution: Mexico, where it occurs in San Luis Potosi, near Real de Catorce.
- Mammillaria brevicrinita Repp.: (Mammillaria crinita) Radial spines 10 - 29, white, finely pubescent, 6 - 9 mm long.
Central spines: 0 - 7, awl-shaped, yellowish to red to dark brown, 8-16 mm long, one or two hooked.
- Mammillaria crinita DC.: This taxon comprises a very variable a complex of forms, variety and species with varible spination. The flowers cream colored to a pink-cream colored. This is one of the most prolific bloomers among the Mammillarias.
- Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei (Rogoz. & P.J.Braun): It is a small cactus with delicate near harmless feathery spines densely wrapped against the body of the cactus. The long central spine is not present on all the clones, they are yellowish, hooked, to 8 mm long, pubescent. The flowers are yellowish/cream to light yellow.
- Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. cristata hort.: crested form completely covered by tight pubescent spines.
- Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. inermis hort.: this is a selected strain with pure feathery radial spines (central spines absent)
- Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. monstruosa hort.: This is a true oddity and some say that this monster is nothing else than a abnormal root grafted upside down.
- Mammillaria crinita f. nana (Backeb.)
- Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri (Rose) U.Guzmán: has red, brown or coffee coloured central spines. With age it may offset from the base to form a small cluster. Distribution: Queretaro and adjacent areas in Hidalgo and Guanajuato.
- Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri f. monstruosa cristata hort.: Crested form. has more bristly spines than the Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri f. monstruosa from which it derives.
- Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri f. monstruosa hort.: Cultivated mutant characterized by very reduced or absent spines, free branching, and with small pink flowers.
- Mammillaria glochidiata var. xiloensis Repp.: (Mammillaria crinita) Plants irregularly forming tightly packed cluster of egg-shaped balls, up to 5 cm tall with dark yellow fine hooklike spines and pale cream-pink flowers.
- Mammillaria monancistracantha Backeb.: (Mammillaria crinita f. nana)
- Mammillaria scheinvariana R.Ortega V. & Glass: (Mammillaria crinita) Stem covered by numerous hairlike radial spines, giving the plant a shaggy appearance.
- Mammillaria tezontle W.A.Fitz Maur. & B.Fitz Maur.: has small stems only 1-2 cm in diameter with short, yellow central spination and relatively large flowers. Distribution: North of San Luis Potosi.
- Mammillaria trichacantha K.Schum.: (Mammillaria crinita f. nana) It his is a remarkable species on account of its having short hooked brown to yellow/orangish spines that finally turn to gray.
- Mammillaria wildii A.Dietr.: (Mammillaria crinita ssp. wildii) Short brownish to yellow hooked, minutely pubescent central spines and 1 to 15, whitish, smooth, 4 to 5 mm long radials.
- Mammillaria wildii f. cristata hort.: (Mammillaria crinita ssp wildii "cristata") It will form huge crested and free flowering mounds up 40 cm (or more) in diameter.
- Mammillaria zeilmanniana Boed.: has flowers typically carmine violet to purple-pink in color, seldom white. Distribution: San Miguel de Allende in Cañada Virgen, Guanajuato.
- Mammillaria zeilmanniana f. albiflora hort.: is a white flowered sport that was produced in cultivation and not known to occur in the wild.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Nathaniel L. Britton, J. N. Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus” Volume IV. The Carnegie Institution of Washington Washington, 24/Dec/1923
2) Fitz Maurice, W.A. & Fitz Maurice, B. "Mammillaria painteri. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species." 2002 http://www.iucnredlist.org/
3) Craig, Robert T. “M. bocasana, M. painteri.” “The Mammillaria Handbook, with Descriptions, Illustrations, and Key to the Species of the Genus Mammillaria of the Cactaceae.” Pasadena Abbey Garden, 1945
4) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
5) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
6) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
7) John Pilbeam “Mammillaria: the cactus file handbook” Cirio Publishing Services Ltd Dec/30,/1999
Cultivation and Propagation: Mammillaria painteriSN|8862]]SN|8862]] is an easy species in cultivation, with offsets formed at irregular intervals.
Growth rate: It is a small growing, but easily flowering, species that will make clumps given the best conditions.
Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil.
Repotting: It will need a pot with sufficient depth to allow the tap root. Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater (Rot prone), keep dry in winter. Keep it in very dry and ventilated place especially in winter.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Reputedly sensitive to frost , but less so if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather (hardy to -5° C for short periods, but some reports give it hardy to -12°C). However some warmth throughout the year will increase the grower's success (minimum 5° to 8°C during rest season).
Exposition: Outside bright sun, filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Subject to sunburn if exposed to direct sun for too long. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy wool and spine production.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: they may be effectively rubbed up by misting the vulnerable plants every day
- Mealy bugs: Easily they develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Sciara Flies: they are one of the major problems for seedlings. It is a good practice to mulch your seedlings with a layer of grit, which will strongly discourage the flies.
- Scales: they are rarely a problem.
It is wise to treat your whole collection with a systemic insecticide twice a year in spring and autumn.
- Rot: it is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much.
Propagation: Direct sow after last frost or (rarely) cuttings. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove the glass cover gradually as the plants develops and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! To make a cutting twist off a branch and permit it to dry out a couple of weeks, lay it on the soil and insert the stem end partially into the soil. Try to keep the cutting somewhat upright so that the roots are able to grow downward.