Flora of North America species comparison

segments not disarticulating, dark or bright shiny green, wrinkling when stressed, circular to broadly oblong to obovate, 5–17.5 × 4–12 cm, fleshy, usually tuberculate, glabrous;

areoles 4–6 per diagonal row across midstem segment, oval to circular, 2–4 mm diam., not raised, sometimes somewhat sunken;

wool tan to brown.

often absent or 1–2(–3) per areole, spreading, whitish to brownish, terete, straight, and usually stout, 25–60 mm; occasionally also 1 deflexed spine present.

usually 4–12 per areole, evenly distributed on stem segments, spreading, bright yellow to orange, red-brown at extreme base, aging tan to blackish, not chalky white, acicular;

major spines (1–)3–5(–6) per areole, sometimes flattened and/or curved, 20–60 mm;

smaller spines 1–7 per areole, slender, to 20 mm.

in dense crescent of adaxial edge of areole and in dense tuft overtopping crescent in age, yellow to red-brown, to 4 mm.

well spaced in very narrow row encircling areole, subapical tuft not or poorly developed, yellow, unequal in length, to 5 mm.

inner tepals pale to bright yellow throughout, 20–30 mm diam.;

filaments yellow to orange;

anthers pale yellow to cream;

style and stigma lobes white.

inner tepals yellow with orange to red bases, obovate, 30–40 mm;

filament yellow to pale green;

anthers pale yellow;

style yellow, sometimes basally pinkish;

stigma lobes green.

greenish, tardily becoming apricot to brownish red, elongate, 30–50 × 12–20 mm, fleshy, tapering at base;

pulp green and sour, becoming reddish and sweet under ideal conditions;

areoles 10–18.

green to reddish, turning tan, burlike, 30–40 × 20–25 mm, beginning fleshy, quickly drying, glabrous, bearing several rigid, yellow spines;

areoles 12–25.

tan, 3.5–4.5 mm diam., thickish;

girdle protruding to 1 mm.

tan, flattened, irregular in outline, 3–6 mm diam.;

girdle protruding to 1 mm.

= 22.