Flora of North America species comparison

0 or 1–15+ per areole, few and at distal areoles or many and on most areoles, usually erect to spreading, appearing unruly, sometimes deflexed, straight or curving, acicular, often flexible, subterete to flattened basally;

longer ones reddish brown to ± black (rarely yellow to red in w Texas), or partly to wholly white, 30–120(–170) mm; reflexed spine rarely present, 1 in some areoles, short, whitish.

(0–)1–2(–4) per areole, in distal 3/4 of stem segment areoles (to nearly spineless), porrect to spreading, red-brown, aging gray, stout, straight, terete, to 30 mm, strongly barbed.

dense in crescent at adaxial edge of areole and well-developed subapical tuft, reddish yellow, aging brown, 2–3(–6) mm.

in crescent at adaxial edge of areole, pale yellow, aging brown, to 3 mm, longest at areole apex.

inner tepals yellow with red basal portions, obovate-apiculate, 25–40 mm;

filaments and anthers yellowish;

style cream;

stigma lobes green.

inner tepals yellow throughout, 20–30 mm;

filaments and anthers yellow;

style and stigma lobes white.

red to purplish, obovoid to barrel-shaped, 25–40 × 20–23 mm, fleshy or ± juicy, glabrous, spineless;

umbilicus 8–10 mm deep;

areoles 22–44.

green becoming red-purple at late maturity, barrel-shaped, 18–30 × 12–20 mm, fleshy, glabrous, spineless;

areoles 8–16.

yellowish, suborbicular to reniform, angled, 5–7 × 3.5–5 mm, sides flattened;

girdle protruding 0.8–1.2 mm.

tan, subcircular, flattened, 4–6 mm diam.;

girdle slightly protruding.

= 22, 44.

= 44.