Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Mammillaria polythele group

• Mammillaria ingens Backeb.: has solitary stems up to 40 cm tall and 15 cm in diameter. Distribution: Biosphere Reserve of Barranca de Metztitlán, Hidalgo, Mexico.
• Mammillaria kewensis Salm-Dyck: has 3 to 6 spine, somewhat spreading, brown with dark tips. Distribution: Querétaro, Guanajuato, Hidalgo.
• Mammillaria polythele Mart.: (subsp. polythele) has stems 8-10 cm in diameter and only 2 spines at first, later 3-4. Distribution: Hidalgo, Guanajuato, and Queretaro.
• Mammillaria polythele subs. durispina (Boed.) D.R.Hunt: has stems 5-6 cm in diameter and 6-8 radiating spines that vary in length to 15 mm. Distribution: Guanajuato and Queretaro.
• Mammillaria polythele subs. obconella (Scheidw.) D.R.Hunt: has stems up to 15 cm in diameter and 4 unequal spines arranged like a cross c. 2 cm long, ± equal, somewhat recurved, yellowish at first, later grey. Distribution: Barranca de Venados and near Metzquititlan, Hidalgo.
• Mammillaria polythele cv. Stachellos hort.: has a blue-green pinecone like, stem up to 8-10 cm in diameter, 30-40 cm tall. Tubercles Prominent, globular conical clothed in white wool with few or no spines.