Uebelmannia pectinifer is a solitary and globular species, becoming columnar with age, grows with dark reddish-brown to grayish, more or less cylindrical bodies that reach heights of growth of up to 100 centimeters and a diameter of up to 15 centimeters.

The 1 to 4 brown to almost black spines are protruding, often intertwine and then form a "comb".

The pear-shaped to cylindrical fruits are purple-red and 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters long, the seeds are small and black.

[3] Accepted subspecies:[4] Uebelmannia pectinifera is widespread in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and grows on sandstones containing quartzite growing in rock pockets in dry savanna at elevations of 650 to 1350 meters.

The specific epithet pectinifera is derived from the Latin words pecten for 'comb' and -fer for '-bearing' and refers to the comb-like spines of the species.