| General Description | Low forming compact mats or clumps, dark green in colour. Its downward facing, robust spines can cause severe injury. |
| Cultivation | Sandy or gravelly soils. |
| Habitat | Desert plains, mesas, washes and embankments at an altitude of 750-1,200 m. |
| Leaf Description | Spines are tan to red or brown in colour, 16-33 per areole, straight and turned downwards, 5 cm in length. |
| Flower Description | Yellow flowers, 2.5-5 cm in diameter, 6 mm long green filaments and yellow anthers 1.5 mm in length. |
| Fruit Description | Yellow deciduous, fleshy fruit, smooth and densely spined, 8 x 2 cm. |