Xerophyte

Flowers

Large, 18 cm long; flower-tube 5 to 6 cm long; throat broad. Inner perianth-segments oblong, perhaps white, 5 to 6 cm long. Scales on ovary and flower-tube small, sometimes only 3 to 4 mm long.

Spines

2 to 4(-6), yellowish, honey-coloured to brown acicular to subulate, very unequal, up to 6–7 cm in length (sometimes 10 cm long), not swollen at base.

Ribs

Obtuse, separated by broad but shallow intervals.

Stem

2–5 m tall,10 to15(-20) cm in diameter, 4 to 8-ribbed, light green to bluish.

Areoles

Large, spaced evenly on the ribs, about 2-3 cm apart.