Mammillaria beneckei is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native to western and central Mexico.
Description Mammillaria beneckei is a small, variable cactus, typically forming low-growing clusters. It is usually solitary at first, later offsetting to form clumps that can reach or more in width.
The anthers are orange.
Distribution and habitat The species is endemic to western and central Mexico, occurring in the states of Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán, México, Nayarit, Oaxaca, and Sinaloa.
Its natural habitat is tropical deciduous forests and dry shrublands at elevations from sea level up to . The species is often found growing on rocky slopes in association with other cacti and succulents, such as Backebergia militaris, Stenocereus marginatus, and Mammillaria mazatlanensis.
Taxonomy The species was first described by the German botanist Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1844 in Botanische Zeitung (Berlin). The specific epithet honors the Berlin-based trader Stephan (Etienne) Benecke (1800–1877), who emigrated to Mexico, where he was the German consul of Mexico and in 1875 founded the Camara Nacional de Comercio.Renate Hauschild-Thiessen. Wilhelm und Etienne Benecke aus den Anfängen der Hamburger Turnerschaft von 1816. Hamburgische Geschichts- und Heimatblätter, vol. 11. pp. 159-173
The species is highly variable, and several forms have been described as separate species or varieties, including Mammillaria balsasoides, Mammillaria colonensis, and Mammillaria guiengolensis. These are now considered synonyms.
Conservation Mammillaria beneckei is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. The species is widespread and abundant within its range, and no major threats have been identified. However, like all cacti, it is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates international trade to prevent unsustainable harvesting.
Cultivation Beyond its native Mexico, M. beneckei has become a widely grown ornamental cactus in India.
Common names Common names for Mammillaria beneckei include: Benecke's fishhook cactus (English) Benecke's nipple cactus (English) Guiengola cactus (English) Biznaga de benecke (Spanish) Biznaga del cerro guiengola (Spanish)
References
External links
Mammillaria beneckei at Tropicos