Xerophyte

Central Spines

4-6 up to 1 cm long, subulated, rigid, divergent, one pointing upwards and often longer, smooth, thicker at base, they are reddish with a darker tip.

Seeds

Pear-shaped, reddish-brown.

Description

Simple or dichotomicously branched (occasionally ramifies , producing a few basal shoots) with short dense spines and wools.

Roots

Fibrous.

Tubercles

Short cylindrical/conical firm, 6-7 mm long and 2 mm wide, arranged in numerous, very close-set spirals. The Axil is woolly with bristles in the floriferous portion.

Flowers

Small, funnelform, 10-12 mm long and in diameter, yellowish with darker reddish midstripe.

Stem

Symmetrically globose at first, later cylindrical, with a depressed apex that appears completely white. Up to 12 cm tall, dull green and may, with age, become rubberized at its base. With latex.

Radial Spines

up to 30, short, 3-5 mm long, acicular, straight, somewhat horizontal radiating and arranged laterally on each side of the tubercle, white.

Fruits

Attractively deep dull pinkish-red coloured. Club-shaped, 10-15 mm long and 2-3 mm wide.

Areoles

Oval and woolly when young.