Show mexico reveals many interesting varieties of cactus from mexico come many interesting species of the many of these have been discovered only recently writes E C hummel in nature magazine one of the comparatively ively new discoveries is the Mam illaria hah niana known as the old lady of mexico this was discovered in 1929 in central mexico where it grows in large clusters completely cloaked in long fine hair during the blooming season it wears a crown of pink or rose flowers little less conspicuous is the crown of red berries that is later pushed from between the lowering flowering tuber cles to remain for weeks like a crown of rubies on a white haired lady one of the most difficult plans to locate is Roseo cactus anus which belongs to the living rock group of the on account of the shape of its tubercles tub ercles it carries the common name of deerfoot cactus it has a large tuberous root and the entire plant is sunken entirely in the ground here it is safe from the eyes of the collector until blooming time when the large pink flowers that arise from the center disclose its presence hoppenstedt ii is one of the rarer of the old man group it is also referred to as one of the torch cactuses as it takes very little imagination to make it such when moonlight or late sunlight finds a reflector re nector in the mass of beautiful white spines in its natural habitat it reaches a height of ten meters not less fascinating than these normal forms are the strange shapes produced when something goes wrong with natures control of growth the red cockscomb found in in many gardens has been developed through many years of selection and is propagated from seed in cactuses such forms are especially interesting while the cause of this phenomenon is a controversial subject scientists agree that j in in certain cases it is hereditary |