Stems spheric when young, ovoid to ovoid-cyli ndric with age, appear-ing smooth and easily handled. Spines closely appressed, except for the porrect abaxial central spine, which is 0.5-4(-5) mm. 2n = 22.

Flowering Feb-Apr; fruiting Apr-Jun. Desert grasslands and plains grasslands, grassy hills, bajadas, sometimes with junipers or oaks, on igneous substrates (rarely limestone); 1000-1900 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Chihuahua).

Most published records of Echinomastus intertextus from central New Mexico, and many from southern New Mexico, probably pertain to var. dasyacanthus; the varieties replace each other geographically, but many populations in south-central New Mexico may be intermediate, containing long-, medium-, and short-spined individuals. Although not documented for Sonora, var. intertextus is known less than one kilometer from the Mexican border in southeastern Arizona.