Offspring of a Mammillaria

nachtkrabb · Post by **nachtkrabb** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:18 pm

Hallo,
these days two very kind people (I am real grateful to!) gave me some lovely plants. Especially an offspring of this Mammillaria:

Has anybody an idea about its kind? - Please note the strongly bowed spines.
Thank you
Ruth

cactuspolecat · Post by **cactuspolecat** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 1:44 pm

Ruth that looks like Mamm. polythele. Nice plant.

CP

nachtkrabb · Post by **nachtkrabb** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:50 pm

Hi, Cactuspolecat,
the M.polythele I could find had shorter, thicker and only slightly bowed spines. This one has very long and strongly bowed spines. Similar to the cover hair of a pelt.
So is it? Ain't it? Is it? (I have no buttons to count it out.)

cactuspolecat · Post by **cactuspolecat** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:33 pm

Ruth, those nice long lower spines can reach a length of 25mm (1inch)

So If it were mine I'd call it polythele!

Only this weekend I bought a Hamm hidalgensis, which is also now considered to be a Mamm polythele, it currently has rather short spines, but as the plant ages these will get longer.
When young, polythele sometimes starts out with only a couple of spines, pointing up and down usually, but these will increase to four or even more as it gets older.

CP

Dominique · Post by **Dominique** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:05 am

I agree with CP. Polythele goes from nudum to a length of spines that can considerably vary.

nachtkrabb · Post by **nachtkrabb** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:10 pm

cactuspolecat wrote:So If it were mine I'd call it polythele!

Ok, so I will!
Thank you for your patience!
Ruth

PS: If you want to have a look at some real kitsch for a change, not only at cacti (i.e. the sunset at our place), then have a look at http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/ ... tsch-q.jpg and the other Kitsch*-pictures in that directory.

M.mestre · Post by **M.mestre** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:06 pm

I agree with CP,it´s a polythele

I think it´s polythele var obconella ,,,the diference with the nornal form are that has longger spines

Also there´s two more var..polythele nuda(no spines) ,and polythele durispina(harder spines )

Miguel

cactuspolecat · Post by **cactuspolecat** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:34 am

Miguel is indeed right, and in fact ssp durispina has up to 6 spines. Polythele nuda is one that has been on my wishlist for yonks & is a very striking plant.

CP

rancid1 · Post by **rancid1** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:09 pm

HAHA!...This has solved a mystery for me.

I recognised your plant.....I have a really old specimen with no label.
I recently had a younger plant ID'd as polythele.

I remembered I grew it from seed but was unsure of the parent.
Having seen your pic....I now know the parent plant looks different from the young plant and is the aforementioned old specimen.....thus showing the diversity.....and solving a bit of a mystery for me.
Will check it out tomorrow...minus whisky....plus daylight

nachtkrabb · Post by **nachtkrabb** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:38 pm

Hi,
I checked it and M.polythele var obconella fits perfectly.
rancid1, what about yours now in whiskyless daylight?
Ruth