G2Q Imperiled, Questionable taxonomy - Imperiled globally because of rarity or because of some factor(s) making it very vulnerable to extinction or elimination. Typically 6 to 20 occurrences or few remaining individuals (1,000 to 3,000) or acres (2,000 to 10,000) or linear miles (10 to 50).
The distinctiveness of this entity as a taxon at the current level is questionable.
Stems solitary, growing in clumps, or commonly branched to form small dense clusters, the individual stems mostly 2-4 cm thick and to 15 cm long; tubercles on mature stems with upper surface bearing a groove; spines about 20-50 per areole, majority s...
Annual, glabrous throughout; stems and leaves glaucous (bluish); stems 3-6 dm tall, simple below, branched from about 1 dm upward; leaves somewhat fleshy, greenish and minutely punctate above, slate-colored and nonpunctate below; lower stem leaves se...
