The species was first named in 1987 by the cactus enthusiasts Bercht, Piltz, and Metzing, who discovered it in 1988 among the thickets of the Chaco region in Paraguay. Small, solitary plant featuring an epidermis that ranges from light blue-green to dark purple-green, along with long, dark spines. When cultivated, both the stem and spines tend to be significantly lighter in appearance.