Flora of North America species comparison

segments not easily detached, green, elliptic to narrowly to broadly obovate to circular, 4–27 × 2–18 cm, low tuberculate;

areoles 4–14 per diagonal row across midstem segment, subcircular, 3–6 mm;

wool tan to brown.

at all or only distal areoles of stem segment, terete to flattened, stout to acicular to bristlelike, straight to curling, of 1 or 2 kinds;

if 1 kind: 0–18 per areole, spreading and curling in various directions, sometimes straight, erect, ascending to deflexed, yellow to dark brown to black, turning gray, pink-gray to gray-brown, longest (35–)40–90(–185) mm;

if ± 2 kinds: major spines (0–)1–5, reflexed to porrect, yellow-brown to brown to gray, longest 20–150 mm;

minor spines (0–)5–11, deflexed, white to white-gray, longest 4–16 mm.

1–5 per areole, spreading, yellow to orange, tipped yellow, darkening with age (at higher elevations), or dark red-brown (lower elevations), ± acicular, longest 20–67 mm, terete to flattened near base, often curved.

inconspicuous, in narrow, tidy crescent at adaxial edge of areole or in broad, brushy crescent and tuft, yellow to reddish, aging brown, to 10 mm.

widely spaced, in crescent at adaxial margin of areole, partially encircling areoles, and in poorly developed subapical tuft, yellow, of irregular lengths, tending to elongate towards bases of areoles, to 4 mm.

inner tepals yellow to magenta throughout, 25–40 mm;

filaments white, yellow, or red to magenta (flowers may superficially appear bicolored);

anthers yellow;

style white to pale pink;

stigma lobes green.

inner tepals pale yellow to buff throughout, to 25–30 mm;

filaments pale green;

anthers and style yellow;

stigma lobes green.

tan to brown, ± cylindric, 15–45 × 12–25 mm, dry at maturity, glabrous, sometimes burlike;

areoles 10–33, each or only distal areoles bearing 3–16 spines, 4–20 mm.

reddish purple, ellipsoid to spheric, barrel-shaped, 33–45 × 40–50 mm, juicy, base not or little tapered, glaucous, spineless;

areoles 16–20, mostly near apex.

tan to gray, flattened, warped, oblong to subcircular, 3–7 × 2–4 mm;

girdle protruding 1–2 mm.

yellow to tan, 3.5–4.5 × 3–4 mm diam.;

girdle protruding to 1 mm.

= 22.