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Mammillaria heyderi

Muehlenpfordt

Little Nipple Cactus

G4Apparently Secure (G4?) Found in 13 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157451
Element CodePDCAC0A030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyCactaceae
GenusMammillaria
Other Common Names
little nipple cactus (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
This record is for a broad treatment of Mammillaria heyderi, including M. heyderi var. macdougalii (=M. macdougalii) and M. heyderi var. meiacanthera along with var. heyderi and var. bullingtoniana, as recognized in Kartesz (1994, 1999). Zimmerman and Parfitt in FNA (2003, vol. 4) recognize a narrower treatment, accepting M. macdougalii and M. meiacantha as distinct species.
Conservation Status
Review Date1990-11-08
Change Date1990-11-08
Edition Date1988-02-01
Edition AuthorsLAMBERT, A.
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Reported from the southwestern United States, abundance unknown.
Range Extent Comments
It occurs in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Mexico.
Occurrences Comments
100 EO's (Benson 1982).
Threat Impact Comments
Most cacti subject to horticultural collecting.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

It occurs on gravelly limestone soils in desert and grasslands from near sea level, deeper soils of valley and plains, and on mountain hillsides.

Ecology

It often grows under the partial shade of trees, shrubs, or tall grass (Weniger 1970).

Thomas (2006) found that long-term survival after fire in Arizona populations was severely diminished with all plants dead after 16 years. Although new cacti did eventually establish on the study areas and by the end were of a similar size to the dead cohort, fire more rapidly removed the breeding populations, reducing seed availability in the occasional years favorable for establishment, and increasing the risk of local extinction.

Reproduction

Mammillaria is dispersed by a wide array of vertebrate animals (van Rheede van Ousdtshorn and van Rooyen 1999). It is suspected that M. heyderi fruit are eaten by birds and rodents (Boke 1953).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
New MexicoS4Yes
TexasSNRYes
OklahomaS1Yes
ArizonaSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (13)
Arizona (12)
AreaForestAcres
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
Santa RitaCoronado National Forest6,078
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Upper Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest2,533
Upper Rincon RoadlessCoronado National Forest2,991
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
WinchesterCoronado National Forest13,459
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
References (8)
  1. Anderson, E. F. 2001. The Cactus Family. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 760 pp.
  2. Boke, N. H. 1953. Tubercle development in <i>Mammilaria heyderi</i>. American Journal of Botany 40(4): 239-247.
  3. Giovanetti, M., J.C. Cervera, and J.L. Andrade. 2007. Pollinators of an endemic and endangered species, <i>Mammillaria gaumeri</i> (Cactaceae), in its natural habitat (coastal dune) and in a botanical garden. Madroño 54(4):286-292.
  4. Ingram, S. 2008. Cacti, Agaves, and Yuccas of California and Nevada. Cachuma Press, Los Olivos, California. 243 pp.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Thomas, P.A. 2006. Mortality over 16 years of cacti in a burnt desert grassland. Plant Ecology 183(1):9-17.
  7. van Rheede van Ousdtshoorn, K., and M. W. van Rooyen. 1999. Dispersal biology of desert plants. Berlin, Germany. Springer-Verlag. 242 pp.
  8. Weniger, D. 1970. Cacti of the Southwest: Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. University of Texas Press: Austin, Texas. 249 pp. + 64 pls.