Structure and identification
The monograph describes a flattened, spherical stem with a short taproot. Lateral spines spread flat over the tubercles and partly interweave. A single dark central spine may be curved or hooked, occur in only some areoles, or be absent entirely. The authors observed substantial differences in its frequency among populations. Yellow-green, funnel-shaped flowers develop within the sunken apex. [Dicht and Lüthy 2005, p. 158–159]
Habitat and variation
The sites described lie on plains and low ridges among grasses, on volcanic substrates in Chihuahua and Durango. The former name C. palmeri was used with different meanings in the literature. The monograph's authors linked the type description of this name to C. compacta. Variation in the central spine is documented within the species, so its absence alone has little diagnostic value. [Dicht and Lüthy 2005, p. 158–159]
Related articles
Materials from the author's archive
The species also appears in Konrad Szychowski's private material archive. [Kaktologia 2009b, file p. 7] [Neciu b.d., file p. 1] [Cactáceas y Suculentas Mexicanas 1959, file p. 18]
Synonyms and names in the literature
Cactus compactus · Coryphantha palmeri · Coryphantha recurvata subsp. canatlanensis · Mammillaria compacta [2-WWW]