Thelocactus conothelos ssp. garciae (Glass & M. Mendoza) Mosco & Zanovello, Bradleya 18: 63 (2000).

Basionym: Thelocactus garciae Glass & M. Mendoza, Ident. Guide Threatened Cacti of Mexico 1: TH/GA (1997).
Type: Municipio de Bustamante, Tamaulipas, J.A. Garcia Luna JAG 383 (CANTE 456).
Synonyms: Torreycactus conothelos ssp. garciae (Glass & Foster) Doweld, Sukkulenty 3: 36 (2000).

Description
Stem single, globose, 7.5 cm tall, 12 cm wide. Ribs indistinct. Tubercles conical. Areoles with glands. Central spines 4, 30-70 mm long, ochre to greyish, straight or slightly curved, acicular to subulate. Radial spines 8-14, 13-15 mm long, ochre to greyish, straight, acicular. Flowers 26-45 mm wide, white to pale pink. Seeds 2.3 x 1.5 mm, testa cells conical with a smooth surface.

Distribution
Mexico, Tamaulipas, occurring in a small area near Bustamante in matorral xerofilo on limestone hills, at elevations of about 1300 metres above sea level. Its range lies within the Meseta Central subregion of the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion.

Comments
Can be easily confused with ssp. conothelos from which differs by its darker green, bronze, epidermis, not angled tubercles and the flowers that are smaller, white to pink. T. garciae was described by Glass in 1997, honouring the discoverer with its name, but this entity had been known for a long time in Europe and was already then considered worthy of description.