Flora of North America species comparison

12 or more, ending in sweet potato-like swellings, 10–15 × 4–7 cm.

greenish brown to brown, branched, 25–75(–100) cm, distally 6 mm diam., at midlength ca. 6 mm diam.;

wood hollow, solid-surfaced cylinders, proximally 3–7 mm diam.;

ribs 6–9, flat-topped to 2 mm broad, narrowing toward sinus, 0.5 mm deep, separated by narrow grooves;

areoles 5–20 mm apart along ribs, circular, 1 mm diam.

5–12 per areole, yellowish white, some with black tips, nearly acicular, weak and easily broken off, 1.5–4 mm;

radial spines encircling central spines, abaxial 3 longest, appressed, scurfy when young;

central spines 2–3 porrect.

nocturnal, 7–10 cm;

scales of flower tubes green-purple to reddish;

outer tepals reddish to green-purple;

inner tepals white to lightly tinted rose, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 2 cm, attenuate to apiculate;

stamens 1 cm;

anthers pale lemon yellow, 1.5–2 mm;

style yellow-white, 6 cm;

stigma lobes 9, yellowish white.

scarlet, pyriform, 40–50 × 25 mm, with bristlelike spines.

1 × 0.8 mm;

testa pitted near hilum.