Mammillaria luethyi

Mammillaria luethyi is a species of cactus endemic to the Mexican state of Coahuila. The plants are miniature, shaped like balls and covered with tiny white spines and, throughout the summer, large magenta flowers. The species entered scientific discourse in 1952, when Oklahoma professor Norman Boke found the hitherto undescribed cactus blooming on Mrs Crosby's windowsill. The plants were sent to Ladislaus Cutak of the Missouri Botanical Garden for research, but died soon after arrival. For 44 years the species was known solely from a couple of photographs and Cutak's description, captivating cactus experts. The species was finally rediscovered, growing sunken in the gravel on limestone slabs in the Chihuahuan Desert, by George S. Hinton and Jonas Lüthy in 1996. The exact locations are kept secret to protect the wild populations from poaching. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as a vulnerable species because of its limited distribution. Shortly after the disco......read more on Wikipedia.