Scientific taxonomy article
Accepted name and publication history
The current Kew backbone accepts Mammillaria marksiana; the standardized author citation is Krainz. Hans Krainz published the species in 1948 in Sukkulentenkunde 2: 21. IPNI supplies nomenclatural authorship and place of publication, while current acceptance, synonymy, and native distribution follow POWO.12
The name was published directly in Mammillaria and has no separate basionym. Neomammillaria marksiana is a later combination based on the same type; Kew additionally notes that it was published without a basionym reference.
Taxon boundary and infraspecific treatment
In the Kaktüs Doktoru backbone, the species is a child of Mammillaria. Kew lists no accepted subspecies or variety on the current species page. This package updates only the canonical species node and its linked botanical-dictionary record; it does not rewrite the genus, flatten accepted subordinate ranks into species synonymy, or alter the product.
Diagnostic characters
A depressed-globose fresh-green stem, pronounced pyramidal tubercles, white wool in the tubercle axils, sparse fine yellow-to-brown spines, and yellowish-green flowers together form the diagnostic appearance.3 Yellow colour alone does not prove species identity. Members of Mammillaria have distinct tubercles rather than continuous ribs, and flowers generally arise from reproductive areoles in the tubercle axils. Identification should not be reduced to one spine colour or a commercial photograph; tubercles, areoles, spines, flowers, fruits, and provenance should be assessed together.4
Phylogenetic context
A 2021 molecular study showed that the traditional broad concept of Mammillaria was not a single natural lineage and that generic limits within the mammilloid clade required reassessment.5 The current Kew backbone nevertheless accepts this species in Mammillaria. Phylogenetic context does not automatically rename the accepted species; it explains why historical generic combinations and appearance-based groupings must be checked against a maintained backbone.
Native distribution and conservation
Kew records the native range as north-western and north-eastern Mexico from Sonora to Zacatecas.1 POWO records the species as a succulent subshrub of desert and dry-shrubland biomes. Local habitat pressure can occur across its broad but discontinuous northern-Mexican range, while the current global assessment retains Least Concern. The stored conservation category is LC.6 The IUCN assessment assigns Least Concern. LC does not mean “without threats” or available for wild collection; commercial inventory only documents nursery stock.
Synonymy and retrieval
Kew accepts 1 synonym at the species node: Neomammillaria marksiana is a homotypic combination based on the same nomenclatural type. These are not canonical routes; they document nomenclatural history and support retrieval of older literature. “Yellow”, variegated, or selected yellow-bodied garden forms are not scientific synonyms.1
References
- Plants of the World Online. “Mammillaria marksiana Krainz.” Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed: 2026-08-04. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:151233-2 ↩
- International Plant Names Index. “Mammillaria marksiana Krainz.” Accessed: 2026-08-04. https://www.ipni.org/n/151233-2 ↩
- Taipei Botanical Garden, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. “Mammillaria marksiana Krainz” plant record. Accessed: 2026-08-04. https://tpbg.tfri.gov.tw/plants/plants_info.php?rid=366 ↩
- World Flora Online. “Mammillaria marksiana Krainz.” Accessed: 2026-08-04. https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0001256258 ↩
- Breslin, P. B., Wojciechowski, M. F. & Majure, L. C. “Phylogenetic relationships within Mammillaria (Cactaceae) and implications for the circumscription of the genus.” Taxon 70(2): 308–323. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12451 ↩
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Mammillaria marksiana.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/151959/121515028 ↩
