Xerophyte

Habit

In habitat it is a slow growing generally solitary cactus, but in cultivation may forms clumps of many heads.

Central Spines

None or 1 to 2 ± distant and erect, whitish with darker base.

Seeds

1,2-1,4 mm long and 1-1,2 mm wide.

Phenology

Flowers are produced in late spring and remain open for three or four days.

Roots

Conical multi-branched.

Flowers

Buds greenish, brownish to reddish, from the basal, older areoles, up to 40 mm long and 50 mm wide, odourless to slightly muffin smelling. More or less bi-coloured, red, often more brownish or violet at the tips, throat usually paler red or fading in orange or yellow, but less frequently uniformly red , light-violet or even white. Floral tube funnel-shaped yellowish-green or yellowish-red with tan coloured scales. Filaments yellowish with reddish bases, style yellowhish, with 5-6 stigma lobes.

Ribs

With raised tubercles (3-5 mm wide). In older plants tubercles are arranged in up to 13(-16) spiral line merging in the apex.

Stem

Rapidly offsetting from the base, small, dull grey-green, individual stems 2,5 cm tall, 3 cm in diameter (often larger in culture).

Radial Spines

11 to 14, fine, bristly, 1,5-3 mm long tight, pectinate, pointing diagonally and downward. Whitish with brownish base, golden, brown or almost black partially interlaced. Spines are very variable even within the same population.

Fruits

Reddish to brownish approx 6 mm wide, with brown scales. Under the lowest scales usually it is possible to find some fine, white hair.

Areoles

Narrow with short white felt 5 mm long, 1 mm wide.