Xerophyte

Habit

Plants solitary, only rarely offsetting into small clusters in time. The stems are flattened globular and will bear several glossy yellow flowers around the very woolly stem apex in mid summer.

Central Spines

1, pointing downward, upto 20 mm long.

Seeds

Helmet shaped, shiny black.

Flowers

Borne several at a time apically, bell-fummel-shaped to sometimes urn shaped, yellow, to 1 cm long and 4,5 cm in diameter; pericarpels and floral tubes with scales, white wool, and reddish brown bristles in clusters. Stigma red.

Blooming Season

Flowering occurs in summer through early fall and will bloom several times during warm weather.

Spines

Reddish brown to bright yellow, becoming lighter with age, flattened, twisted.

Ribs

6-12, acute, with shallow chinlike protrusions between the areoles.

Stem

Flattened globose to globose, grey-green, to 9 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

Usually only 2, one pointing downward, 16-25 mm long, sometimes with as many as 8 additional small spines to 6 mm long.

Fruits

With yellowish grey wool and reddish brown bristles, 2,5-2,7 cm long.

Areoles

Round, white at first, later grey, then naked.