Xerophyte

Habit

It is a small solitary (unless damaged) perennial stem succulent that grows deep seated flat to the ground surface.

Seeds

Boat shaped, dark brown, glossy 1,7-1,9 mm long, 1,2-1,4 mm wide.

Flowers

Apical, diurnal, radial, funnel-shaped, 30 mm broad, yellow. Pericarpel about 8 mm long, 5 mm wide, below the naked, above whitish-brown hairs. Outer perianth segments spatulate, with a very sharp tip and pale green stripes, inner ones spatulate, acute, finely ciliate, pale-yellow. Style 10 mm long, pale-yellow; stigma lobes 5 mm long pale-yellow. Stamens pale-yellow in two rows, inner ones close to the style 9 mm long, outer rows 5-7 mm long. Anthers 1 mm long yellow. The flowers are often cleistogamous (Even when their flowers do not open, they still form fruits with many seeds).

Spines

Bristly, curved, up to 5 more or less pectinate or radially placed on both sides, one pointing downward, one (-2) upward and rarely one central spine, all the little ragged, creamy-white.

Ribs

Up to 24 vertical or weakly spiralling with round tubercles about 6 mm apart. Usually red to purple-violet.

Stem

Flattened-globular somewhat depressed at apex up to 4 cm in diameter and 2,5 cm high, green to dark-green.

Fruits

Globular, 7 mm in diameter, brown whit pale-brownish hairs.

Areoles

Round covered with cream-white short wool.