Mammillaria pullihamata ML366 Microwave station San Cristóbal,
km145 of MEX-190, Oaxaca - Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico 1150m
This is a nice species with heavy gold or amber hooked spines.
 

Description: Mammillaria rekoi in cultivation is clustering  at about 3 or 5 years old from seed.  (while in its natural environment it is simple and rarely branching)
Stems: Globose to short cylindrical, green, 12-15 cm high, 5 - 6 cm in diameter. Sometimes with latex.
Tubercle: Conical to cylindrical.  (Tubercle arrangement: 8-13 )
Areoles: Woolly when young.
Axil: With short white wool and white bristles.
Radial spine: About 20(-30), radiating, finely bristly, needle-like, white to golden yellow, 4 - 6 mm long.
Central spine: 4(-7), much stouter than the radials, yellow, amber or brown, hooked or sometimes straight, 10 - 15 mm long, the lower one sometimes strongly hooked.
Flower: Deep purple pink to pink with darker midribs, to 15 mm long, stigmas greenish. The petals flaring back at the ends, rather than opening widely.
Blooming season: Spring.
Fruit: Red.
Seed: Brown.

In the time  Mammillaria rekoi has been variously named. but nowadays there are only three recognized subspecies:

• The subspecies 'rekoi' grows mostly with a solitary stem. It only has 4 central spines with the lower one being hooked and 20 white radial spines per areole.
• The subspecies 'aureispina' sometimes grows multiple stems. It has 5-7 central spines and 20-23 yellow golden radial spines per areole.
• The subspecies 'leptacantha' forms clumps frequently. It has 4-6 central spines that are curved and hooked with 27-30 radial spines per areole.

Scientific name:  Mammillaria pullihamata Reppenhagen 1987

Origin:  Oaxaca, Mexico.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:  

• Mammillaria rekoi (Britton & Rose) Vaupel 1925
• Neomammillaria rekoi Britton & Rose 1923
• Ebnerella rekoi (Britton & Rose) Buxbaum 1951
• Mammillaria mitlensis Bravo 1956
• Mammillaria pseudorekoi Boed. 1933

Cultivation: Requires excellent drainage provided by porous cactus soil. We suggest repotting every 2-3 years. Prefers bright light and ample airflow. Outside full sun or afternoon shade, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun. Water abundantly the soil when it is dry to the touch. Allow soil to drain thoroughly before watering again. Do not water much in the winter (Rot prone). Protect from frost. But hardy to -5°C if kept dry. During the beautiful season enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water. Easily clustering and easily flowered. Most plants will offset readily, and clumps can be produced in a few years.

Propagation: Division, direct sow after last frost.
 

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Mammillaria rekoi.

• Mammillaria leptacantha (M. rekoi ssp. leptacantha)
• Mammillaria pullihamata (M. rekoi ssp. rekoi