Small-growing cactus with numerous stiff, sharp spines, varicoloured and the centrals reddish-brown. The flowers are very showy, with much white wool along the tubes, and translucent petals, salmon to carmine-red shading to egg-yolk yellow in the centre. The plants are very free-flowering and self- fertile; producing many seeds. When in flower the whole plant shimmers with color and it flowers when quite young.