Shrubs, spreading to sprawling, forming large clumps, to 1 × 1-9 m. Stem segments not disarticulating, green, flattened, elliptic to obovate to rhombic, 15-25(-40) × 6.5-14 cm, ± tuberculate, glabrous, usually glaucous; areoles 5-7(-8) per diagonal row across midstem segment, prominent, subcircular(-oval), 4-6 × 4-5 mm, enlarging in age; wool gray. Spines 4-11 per areole, in most areoles, yellow with chalky white coat, to yellow with red-brown basal portions, aging reddish gray; erect ones terete, stout, straight; abaxial ones reflexed, shorter, to 12 mm; adaxial spines spreading, longest spines 20-40 mm. Glochids moderately dense in crescent at adaxial edge of areole, merging with subapical tuft when present, yellow to red-brown, to 5 mm. Flowers: inner tepals yellow to dull red throughout, 35-45 mm; filaments yellow to orange-yellow; anthers yellow; style pink to red; stigma lobes yellow-green to green. Fruits dark red-purple throughout, obovoid, 35-50 × 30-35 mm, juicy, glabrous, spineless; areoles 22-36. Seeds gray, subcircular, warped, 3-4.5 mm diam.; girdle protruding 0.5 mm. 2n = 66. Flowering spring (Apr-May). Coastal sage scrub, chaparral; 10-400 m; Calif. (including Channel Islands); Mexico (Baja California).

Plant: perennial; stem spreading to sprawling in clumps < 9 m diam, 1 m; segments 15-22 cm, flat, elliptic to narrowly obovate Leaves: Leaf small, conic, fleshy, deciduous, obvious on young stems and ovaries; spines 4-11 in all areoles, generally round, longest 2-4 cm, generally straight, upper spreading, lower ± reflexed, yellow, generally coated whitish, base yellow (brown) Flowers: solitary, bisexual, sessile, ± radial; inner perianth yellow to dull red; filaments orange-yellow; stamens many; ovary appearing inferior, ± submerged in stem; style pink or red, stigma yellow-green to green Fruit: 3.5-5 cm, juicy, dark red-purple throughout; wall thick, bearing areoles; areoles 22-36; Seed 3-4.5 mm, dark brown, encased in a bony, whitish aril Misc: Coastal sage, chaparral; 8-400 m.