Mammillaria elongata

Mammillaria elongata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Mammillaria
Species:
M. elongata
Binomial name
Mammillaria elongata

Mammillaria elongata, the gold lace cactus or ladyfinger cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to central Mexico. Growing to 15 cm (6 in) tall by 30 cm (12 in) wide, it consists of densely packed clusters of elongated oval stems, covered in harmless (although very sharp) yellow or brown spines, and in spring producing white or yellow flowers. It is among the most common and most variable of its genus in nature, and is a popular subject for cultivation. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.