Xerophyte

Description

Solitary, fiercely spined cacti with abundant white wool on top and long white hairs under the flowers .

Roots

Conical taproot.

Flowers

Reddish, pinkish or yellowish from apical areoles, campanulate or funnel-shaped, about 3 cm in diameter. Floral tube with abundant white wool and bristles. There might be over 50 flowers on a mature specimen (only mature specimens bloom).

Spines

Juvenile specimens have only few spines, but the numbers increase as they get older, and areoles can have over 20 spines on mature specimens. Dark brown to black, soon becoming chalky-white or greyish, up to 30 mm long.

Ribs

Adult specimens have up13 notched ribs, forming tubercles with sunken areoles.

Stem

Up to 15 cm in diameter. Dark green, tan to grey-purple tinged stem.

Fruits

Reddish, elongate, opening by a basal pore.