Epithelantha, button cacti, are characterized by spherical or short-columnar stems completely covered by numerous, short, white or light grey spines, up to 90 per areole. Fruits are tubular, reddish, while the flowers are small, borne right at the tip of the stems, and colored pink or pale orange. There are only two species, found in southeast Arizona, south New Mexico, west Texas and northeastern Mexico.


The other species: Epithelantha bokei, ping pong ball cactus, Big Bend area of west Texas