In 1923, Britton & Rose, in their epic Cactaceae, created the genus Dolichothele, with the type of the genus being D. longimamma, described almost a hundred years prior as a Mammillaria. They also included M. sphaerica. and M. uberiformis. The generic name alluded to the long (greek Δόλιχος, Dolichos) tubercles (greek, θηλή, Thili). Other authors subsequently added M. melaleuca, M. surclosa, M. baumii and M. carretii amongst others. At the time they were segregated on the basis of their flowers, but today we know they also share sweetly scented flowers and thickened roots, compared to many other species of Mammillaria.