Native Plants
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Mammillaria grahamii
Mammillaria grahamii Engelm.
Graham's Nipple Cactus, Arizona Fishhook Cactus
Cactaceae (Cactus Family)
Synonym(s): Mammillaria grahamii var. grahamii, Mammillaria grahamii var. oliviae, Mammillaria microcarpa, Mammillaria microcarpa var. auricarpa, Mammillaria milleri, Mammillaria oliviae
USDA Symbol: MAGR9
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
A low, cylindrical cactus with 1 or several stems and many hooked spines; flowers pink or lavender.
The genus name refers to the projections on the stems, which resemble mammary glands. Similar species of Mammillaria and Coryphantha are distinguished by the position of the flower relative to the cluster of spines. In Coryphantha older projections have a groove on the upper side. Both genera have some species with hooked spines. The wild-plant enthusiast who wishes to find reference to Grahams Nipple Cactus in more technical literature must check under two more scientific names: the long-used M. microcarpa and the recently used M. milleri. The synonymy reflects historical problems in nomenclature and the difficulty of obtaining a satisfactory classification, problems that are very common in the Cactaceae.
From the Image Gallery
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Cactus/Succulent
Flower: Light pink edges with darker pink centers and green stigmas.
Fruit: Long, thin, red fruits.
Size Class: 0-1 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Pink , GreenBloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Distribution
USA: AZ , CA , NM , TXNative Distribution: Southeastern California east to western Texas and south to northern Mexico.
Native Habitat: Dry, gravelly places in deserts and arid grasslands.
Additional resources
USDA: Find Mammillaria grahamii in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Mammillaria grahamii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Mammillaria grahamii
Metadata
Record Modified: 2015-08-05Research By: TWC Staff