Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-4, slightly stronger 3-15 mm long.

Roots

Fibrous, arising from a large taproot which is narrowed into a necks where joining the stems.

Flowers

Diurnal, 3-5 cm long and broad, closely packed apically from young areoles, funnel-form, the colour is creamy yellow to reddish often with red/brownish midveins. Pericarpel and floral tube with bracts, wool and sparsely bristly.

Spines

1-14 (sometimes absent.) stiff, needle-like, straight or more or less curved and not easily distinguished as centrals or radials, creamy white, brown or black and darker at the tips, turning grey as they ages.

Ribs

14-22, Noticeably tubercled with pronounced chinlike protrusions.

Stem

4-10 cm in diameter, hemispherical to spherical, flattened at the apex, but often elongate in cultivation, dull olive-green, brownish to blackish green.

Radial Spines

Weaker 6-10,3-12 mm long.

Fruits

Oval, to 1,5 cm long, red, fleshy, thin walled and splitting open at maturity by basal pores