Shrubs or trees to 4–5 m; trunks 15–20 cm diam. Stem segments linear to narrowly obovate, some-times slightly falcate, (10–)15–35(–50) × 5–15 cm; areoles 2–3+ cm apart, 2–5 mm diam.; wool tawny, whitening with age. Spines usually absent or 1(–3), particularly on older pads, straight or curved, brown, aging gray, stout, to 2 cm. Glochids inconspicuous. Flowers 4–7 cm; inner tepals spatulate; crowded pink filaments and white style much longer than tepals, to 15 mm; nectar chamber elliptic to obconic. Fruits ellipsoid, 25–40 × 20–25 mm; areoles well distributed. Seeds tan to gray, 3–5 × 1.5–3 mm, slightly pubescent. 2n = 22 (Mexico, Puerto Rico as an escape).