Shrubs or tree-like, or columnar. Branches erect, procumbent or very low, ascending to erect, simple, branched or clumping, columnar to spherical, usually prominently ribbed, very spiny to almost spineless, ribs few to numerous, often ± tuberculate beneath or between the areoles. Areoles borne on the rib margins, usually circular and with wool. Flowers subapical or lateral, actinomorphic, elongate-funnelform, salveform or subcampanulate, nocturnal or diurnal, often large. Pericarpel and hypanthium with relatively narrow, often numerous scales bearing dense hairs, occasionally with bristles but spineless; areoles usually densely hairy, or seldom setose. Stamens numerous, variously borne on the throat and tube, usually the uppermost series displaced to the mouth and forming a separate ring (throat-circle), occasionally the stamens different to the colour of the perianth, and their bases fused into a membranous ring (hymen); nectary chamber not clearly defined. Fruit globose to narrowly ovoid or obloid, fleshy to dry, often dehiscent. Seeds subglobose to obovoid, testa dull black-brown, usually tuberculate.
A number of other species are cultivated in Australia for their ornamental appeal, including: Echinopsis aurea Britton & Rose, E. ferox (Britton & Rose) Backeb. and E. pachanoi (Britton & Rose) Friedrich & Rowley (HortFlora), E. spachiana (Lem.) H.Frierich & G.D.Rowley, and E. schickendanztii F.A.C.Weber.
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