Big Needle Cactus, Big Nipple Cory-Cactus, Dona Ana, Long Mamma, Nipple Beehive Cactus

The young stems of the long mamma are solitary, but they usually branch many times into large clusters as they mature. Individual stems...Read More may reach 6" in length. The most conspicuous feature of the stems is the very long, mammarylike tubercles for which the plant is named. The spines are fairly dense, but do not obscure the surface of the stem. They are gray to brown or, occasionally, black.

The pink to purple flowers are about 2" across. The bloom from August through September. The egg-shaped fruits are about an inch long and are green at maturity.

The "macromeris" subspecies grows to about 6 inches high and has tubercles at about 6/10 of an inch long.
The "runyonii" subspecie...Read Mores has stems that are grayer-greener than the the "macromeris" subspecies with tubercles that are half as long and stem that are half as tall.