Xerophyte

Habit

Simple but occasionally clustering.

Central Spines

1-4, stouter and longer than the radials, somewhat spreading or ascending, acicular, nearly straight or slightly recurved, reddish to dark blackish-brown, up to 3-4 cm long.

Flowers

Up to 4 cm in diameter purplish (occasionally pink or yellowish), inner perianth segments lanceolate. Stamens and style yellow.

Ribs

Not evident and replaced by upward pointing spiralled tubercles, the lower tubercles, conical, delta shaped to elliptical.

Stem

Depressed-spherical to spherical 15-20 cm across, yellowish green, greyish green to pale green.

Radial Spines

About 9 needle-like, usually white or to greyish and spreading approx 15 mm long.

Areoles

Areoles with short furrows, with or (usually) without nectar-secreting glands, upper areoles oblique, white tomentose, typically 1-3 cm apart.