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Gymnocactus subterraneus (Backeb.) Backeb. ex Fritz Schwarz
Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 11: 16. 1949
Family: CACTACEAE

Accepted Scientific Name: Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus (Backeb.) Lüthy
Kakteen Sukk. 50(11): 279 (1999)

Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
is one of the most fascinating and unusual cacti. It has a tuberous root from which arises an extremely thin neck, ending in an enlarged top-shaped plant body, there is little chance of the thin neck support the stem vertically.

Synonyms:

See all synonyms of Turbinicarpus mandragora
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Accepted name in llifle Database:
Turbinicarpus mandragora (Frič ex A.Berger) A.D.Zimmerman
Bradleya 9: 92. 1991
Synonymy: 8 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. beguinii (N.P.Taylor) Lüthy
Kakteen Sukk. 50(11): 279 (1999)
Synonymy: 17 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. booleanus (G.S.Hinton) Lüthy
Kakteen Sukk. 50(11): 279 (1999)
Synonymy: 8 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. pailanus (Halda & Panar.) Lüthy
Kakteen Sukk. 50(11): 279 (1999)
Synonymy: 6 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus (Backeb.) Lüthy
Kakteen Sukk. 50(11): 279 (1999)
Synonymy: 8 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. zaragosae (Glass & R.A.Foster) Lüthy
Kakteen Sukk. 50(11): 279. 1999
Synonymy: 13
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Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Turbinicarpus mandragora group

  • Turbinicarpus beguinii subs. albiflorus: has white or very pale pinkish flowers. Distribution: Southern Nuevo Leon?
  • Turbinicarpus beguinii subs. hintoniorum A.Hofer: has pale greenish yellows blooms. Distribution: Southern Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
  • Turbinicarpus beguinii subs. senilis M.Zachar & Lux: has a dense covering of glassy white long curved spines. Distribution: Coahuila, Mexico? It may be merely a long spined cultivar (Nursery produced )
  • Turbinicarpus mandragora (Frič ex A.Berger) A.D.Zimmerman: Solitary (may branch if the growing tip is damaged) Stem grey-green , 4-6 cm in diameter that become narrower at the collar. It has strong tuberous roots. Distribution: Coahuila: Parras, Viesca.
  • Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. beguinii (N.P.Taylor) Lüthy: has mostly 12 closely packed, radial spines, up to 17 mm, snow-white, almost glass-like, black tipped. Central spines 1, much longer up to 30 mm, stronger, white with dark brown to black tips. Distribution: Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Coahuila to Hidalgo.
  • Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. booleanus (G.S.Hinton) Lüthy: has a tuberous root, connected to the stem by a narrow neck 1-5 cm long. Central spines 2, erect, whitish with dark brown tips, 12-21 mm long. Radial spines usually 18-20 white, 3-17 mm long. Distribution: San Roberto, Nuevo Leon.
  • Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. pailanus (Halda & Panar.) Lüthy: has a napiform and bundled root connected to the stem by a narrow neck. Stem olive green becoming corky as it ages.
    Radial spines 11-16 to 10 mm long. Centras 2, one erect one horizontal to 25 mm long. Distribution: Coahuila, Sierra de la Paila.
  • Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus (Backeb.) Lüthy: has club-shaped stems, up to 150 mm high often prostrate, separated by a slender snaky neck from the tuberose root. Radial spines 16-19, radiating horizontally. Centrals 2 straight, erect: Distribution: Doctor Arroyo and Mier y Noriega Arroyo, Nuevo Leon.
  • Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. zaragosae (Glass & R.A.Foster) Lüthy: has a globular to club-shaped stem up to 150 mm high tappering gradually to the tuberous root. Radial spines, 21-25, glassy white with brown tips, central spines 2, brownish black. Distribution: Zaragosa, Nuevo Leon.


9708 cactus-art Cactus Art
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Cactus Art
18620 Ilham Prof. Ilham Alakbarov
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Prof. Ilham Alakbarov

9718 cactus-art Cactus Art
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Cactus Art
29206 cpif Peiffer Clement
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Peiffer Clement

9714 valentino Valentino Vallicelli
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
18852 Ilham Prof. Ilham Alakbarov
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Prof. Ilham Alakbarov

9715 cactus-art Cactus Art
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Cactus Art
9716 cactus-art Cactus Art
Gymnocactus subterraneus (Turbinicarpus mandragora subs. subterraneus) Photo by: Cactus Art

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