Dolichothele

A common and poular Genus with collectors, many species are summer blooming Cacti. The name is derived from the Greek "dolikos" for long, and "thele" for nipple or breast.

D. baumii ( Boedecker ) -

Native to Tampaulipas Mexico. A rapid growing, spherical Cactus that reaches up to 8 cm in diameter at maturity. Also classified as a mammilaria. Each areole is topped with 30 - 35 thin white spines. Flowers are strongly scented, funnel shaped, and yellow to greenish in color. Fruit is oval and gray-green. Older plants are known to send out basal shoots.

Propagated by seed or shoots.

Reported to contain unspecified alkaloids.

D. longimamma ( de Candolle ) -

Bright green tubercles with weak spines. Has a thick taproot. . Has bright, glossy yellow funnel shaped flowers that are 6 cm (3 inches) across. Found in Hidalgo Mexico. Once classified as Mammillaria. This species is characterised by a conical shape and long, soft tubercles. It also has large, bright yellow, funnel shaped flowers. Older plants form large clusters of a great many tillers.

Has large deep roots and needs a deep pot. Propagate by seed or basal shoots. Keep dry during its dormant season.

Contains: longimammamine, longimammatine, longimammidine, longimammosine, mormacromerine, (dl) synepherine.

D. melaleuca -

Also classified as Mammillaria melaleuca. Native to Tampaulipas Mexico near Jaumave.

Reported to contain unspecified alkaloids.

D. sphaerica ( Dietrich ) -

Soft, dark green tubercles at the tips, fading to near white at their bases. Low growing, bunching habit. Areoles each bear 12 - 15 pale yellow spines about 1 cm long. Has a large, fleshy root. Clusters grow to 50 cm wide. Flowers are funnel shaped and yellow. The oblong fruit si greenish white with crimson, and is scented. Native to Southern Texas to northern Mexico. First discovered near Corpus Cristi in 1853 by A. Dietrich.

Keep warm and spray with water in the winter. Propagate by seed or basal shoots.

Contains: doliocotheleine, N-methylphenethylamine, N-methyltyramine, synephrine, B-O-methylsynephrine.

D. surculosa -

Also classified as Mammillaria surculosa. Native to the Mexico states of Tamaulipas, Miquihuana and San Luis Potos.

Contains: N-methylphenethylamine, hordenine, N-methyltyramine, synephrine.

D. uberiformis ( Zuccarini ) -

This plant is dentified by its long, conical taproot and its 3 - 6 slender, radial spines per areole. Tubercles are conical to cylindrical, up to 3 cm long and rather thinly spaced. Spherical growth habit to 7 cm high, but will form clumps of tillers when older. Was once classified as a Mammillaria. Has red flowers with yellow center segments. First described by Zuccarini in 1837. Native to state of Hidalgo, Mexico.

Needs a large pot to accomadate its thick, fleshy taproot. Easy to grow, but difficult to make flower. Propagate by seed or basal shoots.

Contains: hordenine, longimammatine, (-) normacromerine, (-) synephrine, (dl) synephrine, N-methyltyramine, uberine, ubine, N-methyl-3-4-dimethoxy-phenethylamine, N-methyl-4-methoxy-phenethylamine, N-methyl-4-methoxy-B- hydroxy-phenethylamine.