Xerophyte

Central Spines

0-1(-2). Thick, erect up to 10 mm long.

Description

It is a small geophytic cactus with a dark body and very short pectinated spines.

Roots

It has a large, conical taproot.

Flowers

Born on young areoles, 3-5 cm wide, cream white to dirty orangish or reddish with darker midline. The flowers have a beautiful silky shine, the tube is covered in thin brown hairs.

Ribs

Several, spiralling and disappearing into tubercles.

Stem

Flattened, globose to short cylindrical, brown or grey-greenish with a reddish-violet nuance. 2-4 cm in diameter but in culture it grows slowly more than 7 cm tall and about 7 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

6-10(-14) short, about 2-3(-5) mm long, more or less pectinated, needle like, straight to somewhat curved against to the stem yellow-orangish to dark reddish-brow that turn to grey as they age.

Fruits

Elongate, dehiscing by a basal pore.