Scientific name:
Mammillaria grahamii, mammillaria microcarpa
Common name:
Graham's nipple cactus, Arizona fishhook cactus
Range:
A small area of west California, southwest and south Arizona, southwest New Mexico and a few small areas of far west Texas
Form:
Single small cylinders, or clusters
Habitat:
Desert scrubland, grassland, woodland to 4,500 feet
Flowers:
Light pink edges with darker pink centers and green stigmas
Distribution map for mammillaria grahamii
Mammillaria grahamii (also known as mammillaria microcarpa) is the most common fishhook cactus in Arizona, and the only one found in the Phoenix area; here and in other places it is usually dwarfed by the huge opuntia and saguaro nearby, being small and often partly hidden by bushes and grass. It becomes more visible in spring and summer when the pretty pink flowers open, arranged in a neat circle a little way below the apex. These are followed by long, thin, red fruits. Plants may be solitary or part of small clusters; stems are between 1 and 2.5 inches wide and reach a maximum height of 6 inches.
Spines are short but numerous; 26 to 33 per areole, mostly bristly white radial spines but with 1, 2 or 3 longer and more central spines that are dark red-brown in color and strongly hooked at the end. Areoles are at the end of tubercles which are fairly well visible through the spines, unlike the more densely covered mammillaria tetrancistra.
Spines are short but numerous; 26 to 33 per areole, mostly bristly white radial spines but with 1, 2 or 3 longer and more central spines that are dark red-brown in color and strongly hooked at the end. Areoles are at the end of tubercles which are fairly well visible through the spines, unlike the more densely covered mammillaria tetrancistra.
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