According to the treatment in the Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants, this variety is considered a synonym of subspecies utahensis and, along with variety nevadensis “are best regarded as mere dwarf forms with large, elongated spines from montane limestone outcrops”. The dramatic spines and montane habitat are certainly accurate but, as the illustration shows, this population is anything but dwarf, with rosettes to 3' across and with terminal spines more than 6" long. The species is reliably hardy to 0°F. HBG 98578, from seed collected by K Griffin, J Trager, and K Zimmerman, 5 August 2005, about 12 mi SW of Pahrump, NV and 15 mi NE of Shoshone, Inyo County, CA. $8.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 81 (2), March - April, 2009