| || | Subfamilia Cactoideae , Tribus Cacteae Mammillaria is the
largest and the most studied genus of the family Cactaceae. And,
the genus is the most popular among the hobbyists, so hundreds
of species are described. Also, there were many classification
shemes for the genus Mammillaria, eg. Hunt's, Reppenhagen's,
Lüthy's classifications. As a result of the long time work of
many scientists and serious collectors, there is a new and good
classification in The New Cactus Lexicon (2006) by International
Cactaceae Systematics Group. As to NCL, there are 163 species
and 69 subspecies in the genus. Most species of the genus are
native to Mexico, and their distribution extends from
southwestern USA, Caribbean, to Central America, or even a
couple in northern South America. In their range you can find
Mammillarias from sea level to high elevations. The name comes
from Latin, mamilla, nipple or teat referring to the tubercles.
The type species is Mammillaria mammillaris (Cactus
mammillaris). The genus Mammillaria is