Coryphantha neomexicana

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Coryphantha neomexicana (Engelm.) Britton & Rose
Cactaceae (Britton & Rose) 4: 45. 1923 [24 Dec 1923] = neo-mexicana
Family: CACTACEAE

= Escobaria vivipara var. neomexicana (Engelm.) Buxb. in Krainz
Kakteen (H. Krainz) 50-51: CVIIIC: 1972(1973) = neo-mexicana ; also in Rowley in Repert. Pl. Succ. (I.O.S.),24: 6 (1973 publ. 1975). Krainz

Accepted Scientific Name: Escobaria vivipara (Nutt.) Buxb.
Oesterr. Bot. Z. 98: 78. 1951 as vivipera

Coryphantha neomexicana (Escobaria vivipara var. neomexicana) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

Origin and Habitat: Native to New Mexico and Texas (perhaps a bit into North Chihuahua, Arizona and South Colorado)
Habitat: It is often found in pure populations on limestone.

Synonyms:

Escobaria vivipara var. neomexicana (Engelm.) Buxb. in Krainz

Cactus neomexicanus (Engelm.) Small
Cactus radiosus var. neomexicanus (Engelm.) J.M.Coult.
Coryphantha neomexicana (Engelm.) Britton & Rose
Coryphantha neovivipara var. neomexicana (Engelm.) Y.Itô
Coryphantha radiosa var. neomexicana (Engelm.) Schelle
Coryphantha vivipara var. neomexicana (Engelm.) Backeb.
Escobaria neomexicana (Engelm.) Buxb.
Mammillaria neomexicana (Engelm.) A.Nelson
Mammillaria vivipara subvar. neomexicana Engelm.

See all synonyms of Escobaria vivipara

Common Names include:
ENGLISH: New Mexico Spinystar, New Mexico Pincushion Cactus

Description: Escobaria viviparaSN|9953]]SN|9953]] is a small solitary or clumping cactus, some varieties forming colonies of over 200 stems. This species is the most widespread, abundant and variable member of the genus.
Remarks: The “neomexicana” variety is hardly distinguished from Escobaria viviparaSN|9953]]SN|9953]] var. arizonica in having an average higher spine number, and in having the spines nearly always white. It cannot be quantifiably distinguished from occasional similar plants of var. arizonica.
Stem: Usually more than 1/2 above ground ovoid, obovoid, or cylindric with age to 9.5 x 7cm.
Tubercles: Grooved, stiff or ± flaccid12-16.mm long; areolar glands absent.
Radial Spines: 20-30 per areole; white to cremy-white often with pinkish tips hardly distinguishable from centrals.
Central spines: 3-4 per areole, straight, spreading slightly longer than radials.
Flowers: Subapical, rose-pink to reddish pink, violet or magenta with darker midstripes.
Fruits: Green, exposed portions slowly turning dull brownish red, ovoid to obovoid, juicy; floral remnant persistent.
Seeds: Bright reddish brown.
Blooming season: Spring-late summer; fruiting 2-5 months after flowering.

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Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Escobaria vivipara group

Escobaria vivipara (Nutt.) Buxb.: It is a small solitary or clumping cactus. Some varieties form colonies of over 200 stems. This species is the most widespread, abundant and variable member of the genus. It is densely covered in a mat of star-shaped arrays of spines. Known as far north as Manitoba (Canada)
Escobaria vivipara var. arizonica (Engelm.) D.R.Hunt: (Arizona Spinystar) - it is native to the desert southwest of the United States.
Escobaria vivipara var. bisbeeana (Orcutt) D.R.Hunt: (Bisbee Spinystar) - It is native to Arizona and New Mexico.
Escobaria vivipara var. borealis n.n.: same as Escobaria vivipara var. neomexicana (Engelm.) Buxb. Distribution: New Mexico.
Escobaria vivipara var. buoflama (P.Fischer) N.P.Taylor
Escobaria vivipara var. deserti (Engelm. in W.H.Brewer & S.Watson) W.T.Marshall: has cylindrical stems densely covered with spines. Flowers dirty-greenish-yellow to dull rusty-brown. Distribution: Southern Nevada, eastern California, southwestern Utah, and northwestern Arizona.
Escobaria vivipara var. kaibabensis (P.Fischer) N.P.Taylor: (Kaibab Spinystar) - It is mostly limited to Arizona
Escobaria vivipara var. neomexicana (Engelm.) Buxb. in Krainz: (New Mexico spinystar) - It is native to New Mexico and Texas. Spines nearly always white.
Escobaria vivipara var. radiosa (Engelm.) D.R.Hunt: is native to Texas ( Hood, Wise, Brown, Hamilton, Montague and Young Counties),USA.
Escobaria vivipara var. rosea (Clokey) D.R.Hunt

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Coryphantha neomexicana (Escobaria vivipara var. neomexicana) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

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Cultivation and Propagation: It comes from an area of summer rainfall. Keep drier in winter (but for outdoor cultivation it is very resistant to wet conditions, too). It needs good drainage. Very cold resistant, but the frost resistance varies a lot from clone to clone. It can easily be grown outdoors in areas with minimum winter temperatures of -15 -25°. It needs full sun to light shade.
Propagation: Seeds (no dormancy requirement, they germinate best at 25°C) or by offsets (if available), or occasionally grafted.

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Cite this page: "Coryphantha neomexicana" Text available under a CC-BY-SA Creative Commons Attribution License. www.llifle.com 14 Nov. 2005. 06 Jun 2025. </Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/9980/Coryphantha_neomexicana>