Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-3, 2-4 cm long.

Seeds

1 mm long, 0,7 mm wide with white, oval hilum. The back of the seed is keeled.

Roots

Enlarged turnip-like, more or less elonged not restricted at the neck.

Flowers

Scented, more or less uniformly red or saffron/yellow with reddish mid-strip and red tepals, 2,5 cm long with short acuminate petals, ca. 13 mm long, 5-7 mm wide. Stamens approx 15 mm long, pale saffron. Style 17-19 mm long, stigma with about 8 lobes;

Spines

Subulate, mostly stright, thick, dark brown to black becoming grey.

Ribs

13-15 stright, 10-12 mm high, somewhat flattened with raised tubercles;

Stem

Firm, globose to short cylindrical green to 40 cm high, 5-11 cm across with apex densely covered by spines.

Fruits

Green to red-green, 15 mm long, 7 mm wide with 6-12 reddish scales.

Habit

Clustering and very spiny plant that forms loose clumps up to 40 cm tall, 90 cm wide.

Blooming Season

Spring and summer.

Radial Spines

6-8(-12), 1-2 cm long.

Areoles

Round, pale brown 7-10 mm across.