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Mamillaria ____?
Small (3-10 inches) cylindrical clustered cactus with brilliant magenta/pink flowers growing in a circle near its crown.
Rocky, exposed hillside in Sonoran Desert. Blooms during rainy seasons, winter or summer.
The first heavy rainfall of the summer monsoon season occurred on July 4th, and these cactus were blooming like crazy. A very pretty sight in a harsh environment. This hill is an archaeological site with petroglyphs on the rocks. I don't know exactly which species of hedgehog this is, but it is very common in the Tucson area. On further research, I've identified it as a species of Mamillaria. I'm slow!
Spotted on Jul 9, 2012
Submitted on Jul 10, 2012
2 Comments
I first mis-characterized it as a "hedgehog cactus" (Echinocereus).
People around here also call it a "pincushion cactus".