Description
Mammillaria prolifera is a low-growing cactus that forms a dense clump of dark green, globose to cylindrical stems with conical to cylindrical tubercles, each with a cluster of spines at the tip. The stems can grow up to 3.6 inches (9 cm) tall and 2.8 inches (7 cm) in diameter. Each areole bears 25 to 40 radial and 5 to 12 central spines. The radial spines are hair-like, white or yellow, measuring up to 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) long, while the central spines are needle-like, white or yellow to reddish with a darker tip, measuring up to 0.4 inches (1 cm) long. The flowers appear in spring. They are yellowish-white, cream-colored, or pinkish-yellow, with a brownish midrib, and can reach a diameter of 0.8 inches (2 cm). The fruits are scarlet, club-shaped to cylindrical, and can grow up to 0.8 inches (2 cm) long.
