Xerophyte

Habit

It is a medium sized barrel cactus usually unbranched, forming short columns, sometimes many-stemmed when adult.

Central Spines

Solitary, 4,5-10 cm long, green-yellow to amber-yellow, smooth, porrect or reflexed, straight or slightly recurved.

Seeds

Dark reddish-brown to black, very smooth, numerous, 1-1,75 mm in length and 1 mm in width.

Flowers

Funnel-shaped, apical or subapical, 2-4,5 cm in length, 12-14 mm in diameter, lemon-yellow or greenish-yellow. Pericarpel and tube with small scales not imbricate, ovate, acuminate, somewhat fringed on the edges. Outer perianth segments about 2 cm long and 5 mm wide, oblong, margin entire, apex obtuse. Inner perianth segments linear-oblong, acute, sometimes toothed near the apex, 2-3 cm in length and 4 mm wide. Stamens pale yellow filaments about 1 cm long. Style greenish yellow, stigma-lobes 10-14, elongated, spreading or reflexed.

Blooming Season

Late spring to summer. (in habitat it flowers from May to August)

Ribs

13 to 21, acute, not tuberculate, broad at base,

Stem

Sub-globose to cylindrical, 30 to 100 cm tall, about 20 (rarely to 30) cm in diameter, yellowish-green, green, dull green or grey-green.

Radial Spines

7 (sometimes 9), radiating, shorter than the central, amber-yellow beconing greyish-brown with time, rigid, smooth, needle-like, somewhat ribbed at the base, of which 3 in the lower part of the areola, 2 on the side and 3 up to 4 cm long in the upper part ( variation in number is usually on the bottom group). The lowermost usually shorter (less than 3 cm long). The secondary, if present, are reddish, then brownish yellow to greyish white, 1,5-2,5 cm, sometimes with one bristly, flexible, secondary spine in the lower part of the areola.

Fruits

Globose to ovoid, about 3,5 cm long and 1,5 cm wide, light green to white and tinged pink, or red fleshy, with dry remnants of the perianth, not dehiscing by basal pores.Scales few scattered on the outside, pale green, persistent, acuminate and imbricated.

Areoles

Remote, 2,5 to 3 cm apart, velvety when young, yellowish and oval in shape.