Origin and Habitat: Widely distributed from north of Saltillo, Coahuila southwards to San Luis Potosi, SLP, Also found occur in Tamaulipas , Zacatecas and Nuevo Leon.
Habitat: High Chihuahuan desert at altitudes of between 1300 and 2000 metres, on calcareous hillsides and occasionally gypsum plains. At lower altitudes (200 - 800m) of the Sierra Madre Oriental it is replaced by A. retusus ssp. trigonus.

• Ariocarpus prismaticus hort. ex Cobbold

• Ariocarpus retusus Scheidw.
• Anhalonium areolosum Lem.
• Anhalonium prismaticum Lem.
• Anhalonium pulvilligerum Lem.
• Anhalonium retusum Salm-Dyck
• Cactus prismaticus Kuntze
• Mammillaria areolosa Hemsl.
• Mammillaria prismatica Hemsl.
• Ariocarpus confusus Halda & Horáček
• Ariocarpus retusus subs. confusus (Halda & Horáček) Lüthy
• Ariocarpus elongatus (Salm-Dyck) Wettst.
• Anhalonium elongatum Salm-Dyck
• Ariocarpus trigonus var. elongatus (Salm-Dyck) Backeb.
• Mammillaria elongata (Salm-Dyck) Hemsl.
• Ariocarpus furfuraceus C.H.Thomps.
• Anhalonium furfuraceum J.M.Coult.
• Ariocarpus retusus var. furfuraceus (S.Watson) G.Frank
• Mammillaria furfuracea S.Watson
• Ariocarpus furfuraceus f. cristata Frič
• Ariocarpus furfuraceus f. monstruosus hort.
• Ariocarpus furfuraceus var. rostratus A.Berger
• Ariocarpus prismaticus hort. ex Cobbold
• Ariocarpus pulvilligerus K.Schum.
• Ariocarpus retusus f. cristata hort.
• Ariocarpus retusus subs. jarmilae Halda, Horáček & Panar.
• Ariocarpus retusus subs. panarottoi Halda & Horáček
• Ariocarpus retusus subs. pectinatus Weisbarth
• Ariocarpus retusus subs. scapharostroides Halda & Horáček
• Ariocarpus retusus var. sladkovskyi Halda & Kupčák
• Ariocarpus retusus subs. sladkovskyi Halda & Kupčák
• Ariocarpus retusus var. elongatus (Salm-Dyck) Backeb.

• Ariocarpus retusus subs. trigonus (F.A.C.Weber) E.F.Anderson & W.A.Fitz Maur.
• Anhalonium trigonum F.A.C.Weber in Bois
• Ariocarpus trigonus (F.A.C.Weber) K.Schum.
• Ariocarpus retusus subs. horacekii Halda & Panar.
• Ariocarpus elongatus subs. horacekii (Halda) Halda
• Ariocarpus trigonus var. horacekii Halda
• Ariocarpus trigonus var. minor M.Voldan

• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Cauliflower
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Cauliflower King
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Frumdosus
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Frumdosus brevituberosus
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Frumdosus f. variegata
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Maruibo
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Maruibo Cauliflower
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Maruibo Pectinatus
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Mituibo
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Three Finger
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Trefinger
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Royal Tama Botan
• Ariocarpus retusus cv. Tama Botan
• Ariocarpus furfuraceus cv. Tama Botan
• Ariocarpus retusus f. major

Description: Solitary, slow growing geophyte cactus with tubercles slightly projecting above ground level. The flat tuberous body is below the soil.
Stem: Grey, or blue-green, flattened, globose, rounded on top, 3-12cm high, 10-25cm in diameter.
Tubercles: Leaflike, divergent, erect, basally compressed, usually becoming attenuate at the apices, convex or nearly flattened adaxially and often with shallow adaxial undulations or wrinkling, not fissured, 1.5-4cm long, 1-3.5cm wide, nearly as wide as long;
Areoles: At the tips of the tubercles, rounded, 1-5mm in diameter often only on younger specimens
Flowers: Diurnal 4-5cm in diameter., 2-4 2cm long; white to pink (or magenta), occasionally with reddish midribs,
Roots: Tap root
Flowering time: October
Fruits: White, green, or rarely pinkish, 10-25mm long, 3-10mm in diameter.
Remarks: Ariocarpus retususSN|2079]]SN|2079]] is an extremely variable species,. Tubercle size and shape vary widely, a terminal areole is sometimes present at the tip. The vast amount of phenotypic variation in the species has led to the erection of several variants:

Cultivation and Propagation: This species is slow growing but certainly not as slow as some other types of cacti, it is of easy culture in a well drained, non-organic, free-draining soil compost, with ample water during the growing season. Use of a weak low-nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season can encourage growth. The main threat to their development is root rot. Ariocarpus should be kept dry whenever there is a threat of cold. The appearance of Ariocarpus can benefit greatly by watering the plants from the bottom. This practice will help to keep the “wool” on the top of the plant from becoming matted or discoloured. Need light shade to full sun. Frost Tolerance: Hardy to -10° C.
Propagation: It is probably the easiest species of the genus to raise from seed, but will generally take about 6-10 years to reach flowering size, occasionally grafted.