Shrubs, forming clumps, 1-2(-3) segments tall, to 7-40 cm. Stem segments not disarticulating, blue- to yellow-green, sometimes tinged maroon-purple, flattened, spat-ulate to broadly obovate or subcircular, thick, 5-22(-35) × 2-13.5(-16) cm, nearly smooth, papillose to puberulent (rarely glabrous); areoles 4-16(-19) per diagonal row across midstem segment, circular to elliptic, 3-5 × 3 mm; wool white to tan, aging gray. Spines 0(-8) per areole, when present, usually in distal areoles, spreading, yellow, straight, acicular, 5-25 mm. Glochids numerous, nearly filling areoles, yellow to red-brown or dark brown, to 3 mm. Flowers: inner tepals pink to magenta throughout (rarely white), 25-40 mm; filaments red-magenta (rarely pale); anthers yellowish; style white to pink; stigma lobes white to cream. Fruits maturing tan, 20-40 × 15-23 mm, dry at maturity, puberulent, spineless (except in var. treleasei); umbilicus 5-12 mm deep; areoles 24-76. Seeds yellowish to tan, ± subspheric but angular, thick, 6.5-9 × 6.5-7 mm, sides smooth or bearing 1-3 depressions; girdle protruding to 1 mm.

Plant: clump-forming shrub, 1-2(-3) pads and 7-40 cm tall. PADS blue- to yellow-green, sometimes tinged maroon-purple, papillose to puberulent, rarely glabrous, spatulate to broadly obovate or subcircular, thick, 5-22(-35) cm long, 2-13.5(-16) cm broad. AREOLES 4-16(-19) in a row diagonally across midpad, circular to elliptic, 3-5 mm long, 3 mm wide; wool white to tan, aging gray Leaves: SPINES, when present, mostly in distal areoles, yellow, straight, spreading, 0(-8) per areole, 5-25 mm. GLOCHIDS numerous, nearly filling the areoles, yellow to red- or dark brown, to 3 mm long Flowers: inner tepals pink to magenta, rarely white; filaments deep pink to magenta; style white to pink; fresh stigmas white to cream Fruit: FRUITS maturing dry and tan, puberulent, spineless except in var. treleasei, 2-4 cm long, 1.5- 2.3 cm in diameter, the umbilicus 5-12 mm deep; areoles 24-76. SEEDS yellowish to tan, subcircular but angular, thick, 6.5-9 mm long, 6.5-7 mm wide, the sides smooth or bearing 1-3 depressions; girdle protruding to 1 mm. Misc: 350-1700 m (1200-5600 ft); Feb-Jun REFERENCES: Pinkava, Donald J. Cactaceae. 2003. J. Ariz. – Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 35(2).