[1] Rapicactus mandragora usually grows solitary with grey-green,globular to elongated bodies and has tuberous to rounded thickened roots, which are formed from an often long, neck-like or stalk-shaped base.

The 1 to 2 straight, protruding, whitish central spines become darker with age and are 1.8 - 2.2 centiimeters long.

The 8 - 14 radiating, straight, white marginal spines are between 8-15 millimeters long.

The specific epithet mandragora comes from Latin, means 'mandrake' and refers to the similarity of the root tubers of both species.

Franz Buxbaum and Hans Oehme placed the species in the genus Rapicactus in 1942.