Xerophyte

Leaves

Very small, early falling off.

Seeds

Corky, lenticular, creamy brown, 2.5 to 4 mm.

Taxonomy

The species Mahuieniopsis hypogaea (Werderm.) F.Ritter is considered separately and not part of M. glomerata (following Hunt et al. 2006). According to L. Faundez, P. Saldivia and H. Walter Mahuieniopsis camachoi (Espinosa) F.Ritter, Mahuieniopsis colorea (Backeb.) F.Ritter, Mahuieniopsis domeykoensis F.Ritter, Mahuieniopsis grandiflora F.Ritter and Mahuieniopsis wagenknechtii F.Ritter should all be considered as separate species, however, following Hunt et al. (2006) they are treated here under M. glomerata. The name Opuntia glomerata, has also been wrongly applied to Tephrocactus articulatusSN|7330]]SN|7330]].

Roots

It has a carrot-sized taproot.

Flowers

Light yellow, to 5 cm long. Pericarpels obconical, with 15-18 areoles, those on the rim with bristles. Unlike Maihueniopsis nigrispinaSN|7342]]SN|32593]], it is not self fertile.

Spines

Often wanting, when present 1 to 4. Principal spines 1-2 long, weak, narrowly flattened, thin and papery, more or less erect, straight or slightly defexed, hardly pungent, either white or brownish, sometimes 10 cm long. Secondary spines 0-2, bristle-like.

Stem

Joints globular, to ovoid, pointed, 2-4(-5) cm long, often in cultivated specimens even smaller, dull greyish brown, hardly tuberculate except in drying.

Fruits

Globose, spineless,1 to 1.5 cm long, green becoming yellow and dry when ripe, the largest containing up to 100 seeds in a lime-filled cavity.

Areoles

Small, about 20 per segment, felty, bearing numerous long, brown glochids, the uppermost 1-2 usually the spineless.