Xerophyte

Central Spines

Looking like radials and often confused with them, sometimes only 2 at first and pointing up and down, of which the lowermost longer, later 3 to 6, somewhat spreading, brown with dark tips, 4-17 (rarely to 25) mm long.

Tubercles

Short, terete, when young short-woolly in the axils and at the areoles. Axils of tubercles bearing crisp hairs.

Flowers

About 15 mm long, reddish purple; perianth-segments lanceolate, acute; stigma-lobes 5, reddish.

Stem

Globose to cylindric, 3 to 4 cm. in diameter.

Radial Spines

Absent or rudimentary.