Flora of North America species comparison

diffuse, upper portion not enlarged.

depressed-spheric to short cylindric, (1–)2–3.5 × (1.4–)2–4(–7) cm, firm;

tubercles 3–6(–8) × 2–3 mm;

axils without evident hairs;

cortex and pith not mucilaginous;

latex clear or slightly milky, sporadic, only in outer cortex.

(26–)40–60(–90) per areole, in several series but all equally thin, mostly appressed, white or very pale pink, often minutely tipped pinkish brown, innocuous, bristlelike, 0.6–5(–6) × 0.05–0.1 mm, glabrous to plumose, all interpreted as radial, innermost spines shortest;

central spines 0.

0.9–1.5(–2) × 0.8–1.3(–1.8) cm;

outermost tepal margins entire (or minutely and irregularly lacerate);

inner tepals white or cream, usually with sharply defined midstripes of green, yellow, tan, pink, pale purple, or reddish, 4.5–8 × 1.5–2.7 mm;

stigma lobes yellow or pale yellow-green to green, 0.3–1 mm.

scarlet, cylindric or clavate, 10–20(–25) × (3–)4–8(–11) mm, juicy mostly in fruit walls;

floral remnant persistent.

black, 1–1.2[–1.4] × 0.8[–1.1] × 0.8 mm, pitted;

testa hard;

interstices equaling pit diameters;

pits bowl-shaped.

= 22.