Cochemiea

Cochemiea is a genus of cactus. The group was previously synonymized with Mammillaria, until molecular phylogenetic studies determined that—when broadly circumscribed—Mammillaria is not monophyletic; thus, Cochemiea has been accepted as a distinct genus.

The Cactaceae family, as a whole, is the fifth most-endangered plant or animal family taxon, globally, as evaluated by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The reasons for this are varied, ranging from climate change and habitat loss, in some regions, to the illegal harvesting (poaching) of wild cacti for personal collections or sale on the black market, or blatantly sold, as-is, fresh from the wild. As these plants are naturally slow growers, wild cactus growth and reproduction rates may not meet the rate at which certain populations of species are being poached, thus creating gaps in the wild populations and risking complete regional depletion or extinction.