| General Description | Forms low compact mats or clumps, 2 or more joints, robust downward facing spines. |
| Cultivation | Sandy or clay soils. |
| Notable Specimens | Colorado Desert, Colorado, United States of America.
Arizona Desert, Arizona, United States of America. |
| Habitat | Broad dessert valleys at an altitude of 90-450 m. |
| Leaf Description | Spines are tan to red or brown in colour, 26-33 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.
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| Fruit Description | Yellow deciduous, fleshy fruit, smooth and densely spined, 8 x 2 cm.
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