Densely branched succulent perennial shrub, 15-40 cm tall, 30-60 cm diameter, internodes very short and mostly not visible, stems very woody. Leaves gray-green, connate toward their bases, sheath 4-8 mm long, free parts 9-12 mm long, spreading widely, swollen and trigonous, margins and keels rounded, but with line along them, small mucro occasionally present, which falls off easily, epidermis smooth. Flowers 15-20 mm diameter, solitary, bracteolate, calyx lobes 5, shorter than petaloid staminodes, petaloid staminodes pink to white, filamentous staminodes white with pink tips, surrounding the central cone of stamens, filaments white, shortly papillate near bases, pollen white, filamentous staminodes and stamens overtop stigmas, stigmas 9-10, top of ovary raised, nectaries in a ring. Fruit 7-9 mm diameter, locules 9-10, top raised and dome-shaped, with low rims, base shortly funnel-shaped, closing bodies white (rarely black), small, not blocking the exit of the locule, valve wings narrow throughout or broad at base and narrowing toward the tips ending in awns, covering membranes complete, without additional closing device below covering membranes. Seeds pale, longer than tall, almost smooth.
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Like P. albiflora but shorter, mucro inconspicuous, fruit with valve wings broader than expanding keels, tapering considerably towards apex, becoming awn-like, closing bodies small, dark brown.
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