Melocactus bahiensis.
The green stems are spherical or slightly depressed spheres up to 20 cm wide.
They have 10 to 12 green or pale green ribs each with 6 or 7 areoles.
The white, woolly hairs are inconspicuous but the reddish-brown spines are up to 3.5 cm long.
There are about 10 radial spines and 4 or so central ones.
The cephalium has white woolly hairs and reddish-brown bristles.
The ratios vary with some heads being mostly white and others all reddish-brown.
The pink flowers are up to 2.5 cm long and just over 1 cm wide.
The tube is short and hairy.
The red club-shaped fruit are up to 2.5 cm long.
The other flower parts may remain attached.
The 1 mm seeds are shiny and black.
J.F.
