Xerophyte

Central Spines

Short and divergent 1-2 (to 3) per areole, 10-45(55) mm long.

Seeds

Black, ovoid, 1-1.4 mm long, and prominently tuberculate.

Note

The root word brevi is after the Latin brevis, which means short.

Flowers

Purple-red to pink in varying shades, and diurnal. Blooming in spring (April-May). Similar in size or larger , to 8 cm long and 10 or more cm in diameter, compared to those of var. enneacanthus. Throat darker red. Filaments greenish or pinkish. Anthers yellow. Stile to 3 cm long, 1.5-2 mm thick with 6-12 green stigma lobes.

Chromosome Number

2n = 22.

Ribs

(6-)8-9(-10 prominent warty.

Stem

Up to 5 cm diameter up to over 100 cm long, The stems of this species are soft bright green and often remain wrinkled. The stem surface is readily visible through the relatively short spines.

Radial Spines

Needle-like brownish, bulbous at the base (6-)8-9(-13) per areole, 10-20 mm long. More straight compared to typically curving central spines of var. enneacanthus.

Fruits

Round pale green becoming or dull brownish-red, or ultimately turn red 25-38 mm long, 25 mm in diameter, pulp pale to intense pink. The fruit are edible. After the spines are removed from the green-brown flesh of the fruit, it can be eaten and tastes similar to, hence the name straswsberry cactus.

Areoles

circular, 10-15(-24) mm apart.