Tubercles, areoles and reproductive organs
The stem surface consists of distinct tubercles, with areoles bearing radial and central spines. Radial spines lie close to the tubercle surface, while central spines emerge from the centre of the areole and may project away from the stem or lie against it. The comparison by Moredia-Rosete and colleagues also considered tubercle spacing and shape, epidermal colour and the presence of a constriction at the stem base. This combination of characters helps distinguish similar populations. [Moredia-Rosete et al. 2025, pp. 754–757, 761–764, Table 5 on p. 767]
Flowers appear in the apical part of the stem. In studies of N. conoidea they were funnel-shaped and magenta, opening during the day and closing at night. Fruits of the genus were described as globose, drying as they ripen. The black seeds have a tuberculate surface. Exact flower proportions, the course of fruit opening and seed dimensions apply to the specific taxon and material used. [Moredia-Rosete et al. 2025, Moredia-Rosete et al., pp. 754, 765–770. Arroyo-Pérez et al., pp. 30–32] [Arroyo-Pérez et al. 2021, Moredia-Rosete et al., pp. 754, 765–770. Arroyo-Pérez et al., pp. 30–32]
Four species in the POWO list
Plants of the World Online accepts Neolloydia conoidea, N. inexpectata, N. matehualensis and N. suguriana. Britton and Rose published the genus name in 1922. Its range includes Texas and eastern Mexico. In older classifications, the plants were also placed in Mammillaria, Coryphantha and, in some more recent accounts, broadly circumscribed Cochemiea. [2-WWW] [2-WWW] [Breslin et al. 2021, POWO, checked on 11 October 2026. Breslin et al., p. 319]
In the 2021 plastid analysis, Breslin and colleagues included Neolloydia and Ortegocactus in Cochemiea. In 2023, Chincoya and colleagues recognised the corresponding lineages but retained separate genera on the basis of structure, biogeographic history and environmental associations. POWO currently retains Neolloydia. The atlas therefore uses the name N. conoidea (called Cochemiea conoidea in the paper by Breslin and colleagues). [Chincoya et al. 2023, Chincoya et al., pp. 13–15. Breslin et al., pp. 318–319] [Breslin et al. 2021, Chincoya et al., pp. 13–15. Breslin et al., pp. 318–319] [2-WWW]
Seven species in the 2025 revision
Moredia-Rosete and colleagues studied 29 sites in eight Mexican states. In 2022–2024, they photographed and measured adult plants, assessed 14 vegetative characters and analysed habitat data from 189 separate records. They compared four previously named groups and three new morphotypes using a Random Forest classifier. Their treatment includes seven species in the genus, with N. ceratites again separated from the N. conoidea complex. [Moredia-Rosete et al. 2025, p. 753–757, 761–764]
They named three new species N. guzmanii, N. leccinumii and N. terrazasiae. The first two have a constriction at the stem base. N. guzmanii is distinguished by more central spines and elliptical areoles, while N. leccinumii has almost circular areoles and a different spine count. For N. terrazasiae, the combination of epidermal, areole and spine characters is important. Its description contains discrepancies in the stated spine orientation, so the diagnosis of this taxon is read alongside the table and key. [Moredia-Rosete et al. 2025, pp. 764–772, especially Table 5, the diagnosis of N. terrazasiae and the key]
The POWO list consulted still places N. ceratites in the synonymy of N. conoidea and does not include the revision's three new names in its accepted species list. N. suguriana from Nuevo León, accepted by POWO, was not included in this study. These lists describe different scopes of material and classification. Results for a particular group in the revision remain under its source name, with a reference to the current treatment. [Moredia-Rosete et al. 2025, Moredia-Rosete et al., pp. 753–755. POWO, checked on 11 October 2026] [2-WWW] [2-WWW] [2-WWW]
Rodr.González and Linzen published the name N. suguriana in Mitteilungsblatt des Arbeitskreises für Mammillarienfreunde 49(2), on p. 73, in 2025. IPNI gives the date as 2 February and records type material from Cañon de la Huasteca, collected at an elevation of 900 m. The nomenclatural type documents the reference of the name to a particular specimen. [2-WWW] [3-WWW]
Varied soils and landforms
In the 2025 revision, widespread N. conoidea occupied more environment types than groups with narrow ranges. Limestone karst landforms and shallow, stony soils were important for N. matehualensis. N. inexpectata was recorded on plains, on weakly developed mineral soils known as regosols. New morphotypes from Nuevo León occupied slopes of folded mountains and rendzinas and lithosols. The map layers had a resolution of about 1 km², so they describe habitat surroundings rather than soil composition around every root. [Moredia-Rosete et al. 2025, pp. 756, 759, 764, Table 5 on p. 767]
Reproduction studied in a population of N. conoidea
In Tolimán, Querétaro, N. conoidea flowered from March to September in five or six pulses, depending on the year. Most plants took part in more than one pulse. Pollination experiments in this population showed fruit set after cross-pollination and no fruits in two self-pollination treatments. The bees observed also visited neighbouring Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus, which flowered at a different time in the year studied. These data concern N. conoidea and the site described. [Arroyo-Pérez et al. 2019, Arroyo-Pérez et al. 2019, pp. 581–585. Arroyo-Pérez et al. 2021, pp. 32–35] [Arroyo-Pérez et al. 2021, Arroyo-Pérez et al. 2019, pp. 581–585. Arroyo-Pérez et al. 2021, pp. 32–35]