Xerophyte

Seeds

Oblong, about 1 mm long, with shiny, black, finely warty testa and a large white hilum.

Flowers

Funnel shaped, 30-35 mm long, 25-30 mm wide at top, light violet-red and self-fertile. Ovary, about 3 mm wide crimson colored, with brownish triangular scales, c. 1 mm large, with very short woolly felts in their axils. Floral tube briefly flared, about 10 mm long, c 2 mm in diameter at the base, 7 mm wide above, brownish pink, with 2-6 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, reddish brown, naked, pointed scales. Outer perianth segments acutely lanceolate with spiny tip, purplish pink; inner perianth segments oval lanceolate with spiny tip, 15 mm long, 6 mm wide, purple-pink. Filaments white, 5-10 mm long, anthers small, spherical, yellow. Pistil, 20 mm long, thin, reddish pink to whitish, with five yellowish to whitish lobes, 2-3 mm long.

Spines

About 20, bristle-like, stiff, radiating, ranging from 3-25 mm in length. There are also some central spines, hardly distinguishable and somewhat stronger. All are deep golden-brown, tan or brown.

Ribs

Completely divided in flat, rounded, spiralled tubercles.

Stem

Hemispherical or sometime globular, small usually less than 20 mm diameter (often larger in cultivation), usually solitary and depressed at apex. Deep yellow green.

Fruits

Spherical, about 6 mm wide, orange-yellow, later browning, drying and cracking irregularly.

Areoles

Round, round, 1 mm diameter, yellowish tomentose.