Origin and Habitat: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

• Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. monstruosa hort.
• Mammillaria duwei f. monstruosa hort.

• Mammillaria crinita DC.
• Cactus crinitus (DC.) Kuntze
• Chilita crinita (DC.) Buxb.
• Ebnerella crinita (DC.) Buxb.
• Krainzia crinita (DC.) Doweld
• Mammillaria glochidiata var. crinita (DC.) K.Schum.
• Mammillaria glochidiata f. crinita (DC.) Schelle
• Mammillaria aureoviridis Heinrich
• Mammillaria brevicrinita Repp.
• Mammillaria cadereytana Backeb.
• Mammillaria calleana Backeb.
• Mammillaria criniformis DC.
• Chilita criniformis (DC.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria criniformis var. albida DC.
• Mammillaria erectohamata Boed.
• Chilita erectohamata (Boed.) Buxb.
• Ebnerella erectohamata (Boed.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria felipensis Repp.
• Mammillaria gilensis Boed.
• Chilita gilensis (Boed.) Buxb.
• Ebnerella gilensis (Boed.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria glochidiata var. xiloensis Repp.
• Mammillaria moeller-valdeziana Appenz.
• Mammillaria mollihamata Shurly
• Mammillaria puberula Repp.
• Mammillaria pubispina Boed.
• Chilita pubispina (Boed.) Buxb.
• Ebnerella pubispina (Boed.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria pygmaea (Britton & Rose) A.Berger
• Chilita pygmaea (Britton & Rose) Buxb.
• Ebnerella pygmaea (Britton & Rose) Buxb.
• Neomammillaria pygmaea Britton & Rose
• Mammillaria scheinvariana R.Ortega V. & Glass
• Mammillaria crinita subs. scheinvariana (R.Ortega V. & Glass) W.A.Fitz Maur. & B.Fitz Maur.
• Mammillaria schelhasii Pfeiff.
• Cactus schelhasii (Pfeiff.) Kuntze
• Chilita schelhasii (Pfeiff.) Orcutt
• Ebnerella schelhasii (Pfeiff.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria schelhasei Pfeiff. Pfeiff.
• Neomammillaria schelhasii (Pfeiff.) Britton & Rose
• Mammillaria schelhasii var. triuncinata Salm-Dyck
• Mammillaria schelhasei f. triuncinata (Salm-Dyck) Schelle
• Mammillaria tezontle W.A.Fitz Maur. & B.Fitz Maur.
• Mammillaria variabilis Repp.
• Mammillaria zeilmanniana Boed.
• Chilita zeilmanniana (Boed.) Buxb.
• Ebnerella zeilmanniana (Boed.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria crinita f. zeilmanniana (Boed.) Glass
• Neomammillaria zeilmanniana (Boed.) Y.Itô
• Mammillaria zeilmanniana f. albiflora hort.

• Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei (Rogoz. & P.J.Braun)
• Mammillaria duwei Rogoz. & P.J.Braun
• Mammillaria nana subs. duwei (Rogoz. & P.J.Braun) Pilbeam
• Mammillaria trichacantha subs. duwei (Rogoz. & P.J.Braun) Mottram
• Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. cristata hort.
• Mammillaria duwei f. cristata hort.
• Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. inermis hort.
• Mammillaria duweii f. inermis hort.
• Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. monstruosa hort.
• Mammillaria duwei f. monstruosa hort.

• Mammillaria crinita subs. leucantha (Boed.) D.R.Hunt
• Krainzia crinita subs. leucantha (Boed.) Doweld
• Mammillaria leucantha Boed.
• Mammillaria aurihamata Boed.
• Chilita aurihamata (Boed.) Buxb.
• Ebnerella aurihamata (Boed.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria schelhasii var. aurihamata (Boed.) Repp.
• Neomammillaria aurihamata (Boed.) Y.Itô

• Mammillaria crinita f. nana (Backeb.)
• Mammillaria nana Backeb.
• Mammillaria monancistracantha Backeb.
• Mammillaria rawlii hort.
• Mammillaria trichacantha K.Schum.
• Chilita trichacantha (K.Schum.) Buxb.
• Ebnerella trichacantha (K.Schum.) Buxb.
• Mammillaria nana trichacantha hort.
• Neomammillaria trichacantha (K.Schum.) Britton & Rose

• Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri (Rose) U.Guzmán
• Chilita painteri (Rose) Buxb.
• Ebnerella painteri (Rose) Buxb.
• Mammillaria painteri Rose
• Neomammillaria painteri (Rose) Britton & Rose
• Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri f. monstruosa cristata hort.
• Mammillaria painteri f. monstruosa cristata hort.
• Mammillaria crinita subs. painteri f. monstruosa hort.
• Mammillaria painteri f. monstruosa hort.

Description: This plant is very different from a normal Mammillaria duweiSN|8895]]SN|8895]], it reveal its true identity only when an occasional normal areole produces a tuft of white feathery spines. It is thought by some that it is nothing else than a monstrous root grafted upside down, in fact it produces easily adventitious roots in any part of its body. It forms large low clusters of hard, corky-textured creamy-brownish, greenish and pinkish fissured protuberances, some only a few centimetres across. The plant looks more like some non-cactus succulent or rocky material than a cactus. This cultivar shows many growing variations, with different crested and monstrous shapes.

Notes: This plant is a monstrous root that sometime produces normal roots and normal areoles. But extraordinarily it produces viable somatic embryos. Somatic embryogenesis is a phenomenon observed during plant tissue culture, some of the somatic cells start behaving like the embryonic cells. They form the embryos which are not formed due to fusion of gametes. So they are called as somatic embryos. The formation of complete embryo from these cells is called as somatic embryo genesis. It is very rare to see such a phenomenon in a living plant out of a laboratory.

Cultivation and Propagation: Mammillaria crinita subs. duwei f. monstruosa is almost always seen grafted on a stronger stock, but seems it can grows well on its own roots too. The plants on their roots are quite difficult to grow long enough to produce clumps as it is very rot sensitive and needs lots of light with ample airflow.
Growth rate: It is a small growing.
Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil with little organic matter (peat, humus).
Repotting: Repotting every 2-3 years. It will need a pot with sufficient depth to allow the tap root. As it is especially prone to rot under-pot in a smaller container filled with very porous compost. Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater (very wet-sensitively, especially in light of its succulent root system). Its roots are easily lost in pots that stay damp for any length of time. Keep dry with ample airflow in winter. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!!
Fertilization: During the growing 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.
Hardiness: Reputedly sensitive to frost , but less so if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather (hardy to -5° C for short periods). However some warmth throughout the year will increase the grower's success (minimum 5° to 8°C during rest season).
Exposition: Outside filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Subject to sunburn if exposed to direct sun for too long.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Sensitive to red spider mite. Overhead watering is helpful in controlling mites.
- Mealy bugs: Easily they develop aerial into the new growth with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Sciara Flies: they are one of the major problems for seedlings. It is a good practice to mulch your seedlings with a layer of grit, which will strongly discourage the flies.
- Scales: they are rarely a problem.
It is wise to treat your whole collection with a systemic insecticide twice a year in spring and autumn.
- Rot: it is only a minor problem with mammillaria if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much.
Propagation: Graftingt or (rarely) cuttings. Cuttings of healthy shoots can be taken in the spring and summer. Cut the stem with a sharp, sterile knife, leave the cutting in a warm, dry place for a week or weeks (depending on how thick the cutting is) until a callus forms over the wound. Once the callus forms, the cutting may be inserted in a container filled with firmed cactus potting mix topped with a surface layer of coarse grit. They should be placed in the coarse grit only; this prevents the cut end from becoming too wet and allows the roots to penetrate the rich compost underneath. The cuttings should root in 2 to 6 weeks.