Xerophyte

Central Spines

2 to 4 longer and more robust up to 7 cm long, variable from, amber yellow, to honey or nearly white, tip black-brown, black-violet, or black purple.

Note

multicolor = "multicoloured", for the variable colour of the spines of the species.

Flowers

Apical 5 (to 7) cm long, red carmine.

Spines

Very variable, multicoloured.

Ribs

About 14.

Stem

Fairly large, globular to cylindrical, up to 15(or 20) cm in diameter and 30 (to 40) cm in height. In habitat M. multicolor may forms solitary stems, but more often tends to form clumps. Whether this is a natural form or caused through injury of the growing tip by animals is it not clear. In the valleys Matucanas often grow much longer, hanging from the rocks, like a curved pipe.

Radial Spines

Numerous, interlaced, pectinated, up to 2 cm long, very variable, from stout to fine bristles and range from whitish-grey to pure white.

Fruits

Up to 1.5 cm length.