Description: Usually solitary cactus almost completely concealed by
spines and wool.
Stem: Globular depressed, 40-160 mm high,
70-200 mm wide, yellowish-green with a very
woolly apex.
Ribs: 15-15 tubercled.
Tubercles: Conical, well-developed,
3-8mm high.
Areoles: Oblong, at first very woolly then almost naked.
Radials spines: 16-20 radiating, partially pectinated, straight,
whitish 2-10 mm long. The young spines have a yellow base, a white
median zone and a dark brown tip, then they become white and
translucent.
Central spines: 1 curved upwards, at first black-bluish that becomes
greyish-white with darker tip 7-20mm long. Flowers: White with a
greenish base, 10-18 mm long, generally 30 mm wide but can be up to 70
mm wide.
Fruit: Dry, dehising from a lateral fissure.
Seeds: Black.
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