Alternate name: Spinystar
Family: Cactaceae, Cactus view all from this family
Description Small, nearly spherical to barrel-shaped stems, sometimes single but often many in a mound, with pink, red, lavender, or yellow-green flowers near top.
Flowers: 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) wide; petals many, each 1/4-1/2" (6-13 mm) long.
Stems: To 3" (7.5 cm) wide; nipples 1-1 1/2" (2.5-4 cm) long, grooved on upper side.
Spines: In clusters; central spines 3-10, each 1/2-3/4" (1.5-2 cm) long, straight, tipped with pink, red, or black, surrounded by 12-40 slightly shorter, white spines.
Fruit: 1/2-1" (1.5-2.5 cm) long, plump, green, smooth, with brown seeds.
Height: 1 1/2-6" (4-15 cm).
Flower May-June.
Habitat Rocky, desert slopes and rocky or sandy soil among piñon, juniper, oaks, and Ponderosa Pine.
Range Central Canada south to southeastern Oregon and southeastern California, and east to Great Plains from Minnesota to western Texas; also in northern Mexico.
Discussion Nipple Cactus (E. missouriensis) is very similar, differing in having a single central spine in each cluster, greenish-white flowers, and reddish fruit with black seeds; it occurs mostly east of the Rocky Mountains but grows westward to central Idaho, western Colorado, southern Utah, and northern Arizona.
