Xerophyte

Central Spines

3-9 (usually 4), stronger, acicular, white, pale yellow to brownish but with brown to black tips, the upper side is always darker than the bottom side, straight to curved,15-35 mm long, directed upwards, lower one robust, noticeably down-curved from near the base pointing outward and downward.

Seeds

2 mm in diameter black.

Description

Plants solitary with spines almost hiding the body, but quite variable, two varieties are commonly accepted, namely Echinomastus unguispinusSN|14901]]SN|14901]] v. unguispinus and Echinomastus unguispinusSN|14901]]SN|14901]] v. durangensis, while the rank of variety is generally not recognized to the forms mapimiensis and laui.

Flowers

Hardly gettig through the dense apical spines, funnelform, dirty yellowish-green but darkening as they ripen getting from green to reddish-brown, remaining erect up to 2.5 cm in diameter.

Blooming Season

Early spring.

Ribs

13-21(-25) strongly tuberculate.

Stem

Globular with a slightly flattened apex to short cylindrical 7-14 cm tall, 7-15 cm in diameter, gray-green or bluish green.

Radial Spines

15-30 white to yellowish to blue-gray with black apex, becoming gray with age, 15-33 mm long irregularly spreading, some interlacing.

Fruits

13-25 mm long, 8-12 mm wide, green to brown.

Areoles

Slightly elongated without (or with very reduced) nectar glands.