Mammillaria tetrancistra
Common fish hook cactus
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Cactaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Mammillaria tetrancistra (Common fish hook cactus) is a native California shrub in the Cactaceae family.
Common fish hook cactus is a California native perennial found in desert bioregions in sandy hills, valleys, plains, and creosote-bush scrub at elevations of 130 to 1,400 meters. Flowering in April, this plant produces pink or rose-purple to lavender flowers 25 millimeters wide with long-fringed outer petals. Growing with a single cylindric stem 7 to 25 centimeters tall and 3.5 to 7.5 centimeters in diameter, it has soft stems with bristly tubercle axils. Its spines are distinctive, with 3 to 4 central spines per areole, including one or more hooked spines with dark tips, surrounded by 30 to 60 radial spines in 2 to 3 ranks. The fruit develops into a cylindric shape 15 to 32 millimeters long, with seeds featuring a corky tan aril.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species - geographically isolated across entire Desert Province
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy hills, valleys, plains, creosote-bush scrub
Elevation: 130-1400 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego, Inyo
Outside California: to Utah, Arizona, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Mammillaria tetrancistra blooms Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Cochemiea: Mammillaria has hooked central spines; Cochemiea has straight central spines (formerly split from Mammillaria).; vs Escobaria: Mammillaria has tubercles without grooves; Escobaria has grooved tubercles running from spine to base.; vs Ferocactus: Mammillaria has tubercles not ribs; Ferocactus has prominent vertical ribs.; vs Kroenleinia: Mammillaria has distinct hooked spines; Kroenleinia has straight or slightly curved spines.; vs Echinocereus: Mammillaria has single or few-stemmed clusters with tubercles; Echinocereus forms large soft clusters with ribs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mammillaria tetrancistra native to California?
Yes. Mammillaria tetrancistra is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Mammillaria tetrancistra bloom?
Mammillaria tetrancistra blooms Apr.
Where in California does Mammillaria tetrancistra grow?
Mammillaria tetrancistra occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego, Inyo, at elevations of 130-1400 m.
What plant family does Mammillaria tetrancistra belong to?
Mammillaria tetrancistra is in the Cactaceae family, genus Mammillaria.
What habitat does Mammillaria tetrancistra grow in?
Mammillaria tetrancistra grows in Sandy hills, valleys, plains, creosote-bush scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Mammillaria dioica — Fish hook cactus
- Mammillaria grahamii var. grahamii — Graham's fishhook cactus
- Mammillaria sp. — Fishhook cactus
- Opuntia basilaris — Beavertail cactus
- Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris — Beavertail
- Opuntia basilaris var. brachyclada — Short-joint beavertail
- Opuntia basilaris var. treleasei — Bakersfield cactus
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.