It is limited to a specific type of soil, individuals are often spaced far apart, and the species is threatened by a number of human activities such as off-road vehicle use, poaching, and uranium mining.

Each areole has 3 to 7 main spines which are black to gray or white in color, those occurring near the base of the cactus body reaching up to 3 centimeters long.

[8] His description largely matches the description of Pediocactus sileri in the Flora of North America, and he uses the same common names (gypsum cactus, Siler's pincushion cactus) although the distribution he gives ("a very restricted area in Coconino County, Arizona") corresponds to that of Sclerocactus sileri in the Flora of North America ("restricted to northeast Coconino County, Arizona").

[2] Though the current total population of the cactus is unknown and has not been estimated, there have been over 10,000 individuals documented over a territory measuring just over 34,000 acres (140 km2).

Plans for uranium mining have often been modified to avoid damage to the cactus, but the threat still exists.

Petroleum exploration and gypsum mining are considered future threats in the area, but not current ones.

[9] Conservation activities include the establishment of the White Dome Nature Preserve in Utah, which protects land that is home to the cactus, as well as to the rare dwarf bear claw poppy (Arctomecon humilis) and animals such as the zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) and the loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus).