Xerophyte

Flowers

The plant produces club-like purple buds on the older areoles on the side part of the stem, which develop into pinkish rose (rarely red) flowers, to 5 cm long and 7 cm in diameter. Often when full open the flowers remain almost tubular in shape and fail to open as broadly as other species do.

Spines

6-7, 1-1,5 cm, strong, curving outward, somewhat flattened, black, brown, reddish grey to yellowish with dark tips (often paler in the bottom side) turning to ash colour as they age.

Ribs

5-8, flat, with separate tubercles, with transverse furrows.

Stem

Depressed globose to globose blue-green, dark-green or olive green up to 10 cm high and 10(-15) cm in diameter.

Fruits

Ovoid, green.

Areoles

Few, fuzzy white.