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Notes for the Genus:

Mila

Etymology -The name is an anagram of Lima, the capital city of Peru, near which the original species were discovered.
Mila is a genus that is found in the hills and mountains of Peru. The stems are cylindrical, forming clumps and are very similar to the unrelated North American genus Echinocereus. And like some Echinocereus species, Mila displays a wide range of variation from one population to the next in habitat. As a result, many species have been described for the genus. However, throughout the range, there is difficulty determining where one species leaves off and another begins since the variation is gradual from one location to the next. As a result, most authors treat Mila as a monotypic genus with the single species, M. caespitosa.

Stems are ribbed and may have spines which cover the stems or much shorter and less numerous. Flowers are funnel-shaped, yellow and just under an inch (2cm) in diameter.

Mila is not common in cultivation.

Mila caespitosa


Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Mila kubeana, Mila nealeana, Mila alboareolata, Mila albisaetacens, Mila breviseta, Mila cereoides, Mila densiseta, Mila fortalezensis, Mila lurinensis, Mila pugionifera, Mila sublanata, Mila colorea
To view publication details for this taxon and related synonyms Click Here.
To view a chart comparing alternate taxonomy Click Here.
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Trichocereeae
Distribution: Peru (South America)
Habit: Cylindrical
Flower: YellowEncounterability: Unusual in Collections
Original Description: The Cactaceae 3 p.211 - Britton & Rose (1920)
Plants low, rarely as much as 15 cm high, 2 to 3 cm in diameter; ribs usually 10, 3 to 5 mm high, the margins nearly straight; areoles at first densely brown-felted, 2 to 4 mm apart; spines at first yellowish with brown tips, in age becoming brown throughout; radial spines 20 or more, usually about 10 mm long; central spiens several, the longer ones up to 3 cm long; flowers about 1.5 cm long, yellow but drying reddish; inner perianth-segments oblong; tube-proper very short; stamens shorter than the perianth segments; style 8 mm long; fruit 5 to 10 mm in diameter; seed 1 mm long.
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Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa
Picture taken at: Gene Schroeder's Private Collection

Photographer: Daiv Freeman
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa
Picture taken at: Tony Marino's Private Collection

Photographer: Tony Marino
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa
Picture taken at: Private Collection

Photographer: Joel Lode

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa
Picture taken at: Gerard Ardisson's Private Collection

Photographer: Gerard Ardisson

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa
Picture taken at: Gerard Ardisson's Private Collection

Photographer: Gerard Ardisson

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa
Picture taken at: Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ

Photographer: Scott McMahon

Mila caespitosa subsp. pugionifera


Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Mila kubeana, Mila nealeana, Mila alboareolata, Mila albisaetacens, Mila breviseta, Mila cereoides, Mila densiseta, Mila fortalezensis, Mila lurinensis, Mila pugionifera, Mila sublanata, Mila colorea
To view publication details for this taxon and related synonyms Click Here.
To view a chart comparing alternate taxonomy Click Here.
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Trichocereeae
Distribution: Peru (South America)
Habit: Cylindrical
Flower: YellowEncounterability: Rare
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Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa subsp. pugionifera
Picture taken at: Habitat in Peru

Photographer: Craig Howe

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa subsp. pugionifera
Picture taken at: Habitat in Peru

Photographer: Craig Howe

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa subsp. pugionifera
Picture taken at: Habitat in Peru

Photographer: Craig Howe

Photographer's Website: Click Here

Mila caespitosa var. sublanata


Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Mila kubeana, Mila nealeana, Mila alboareolata, Mila albisaetacens, Mila breviseta, Mila cereoides, Mila densiseta, Mila fortalezensis, Mila lurinensis, Mila pugionifera, Mila sublanata, Mila colorea, Mila caespitosa pugionifera
To view publication details for this taxon and related synonyms Click Here.
To view a chart comparing alternate taxonomy Click Here.
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Trichocereeae
Distribution: Peru (South America)
Habit: Cylindrical
Flower: YellowEncounterability: Extremely Rare
This icon appears next to images that have been 3rd party verified. Click Here to learn more.
Click any picture below to enlarge.
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa var. sublanata
Picture taken at: Habitat in Peru

Photographer: Craig Howe

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa var. sublanata
Picture taken at: Habitat in Peru

Photographer: Craig Howe

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Mila caespitosa
M. caespitosa var. sublanata
Picture taken at: Habitat in Peru

Photographer: Craig Howe

Photographer's Website: Click Here

*Currently 1 of 1 known species are represented on CactiGuide.com.


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