Xerophyte

Description

Attractive mini Opuntia, forming low sub-erected shrubs more or less dense and large, spread cushions hiding a large tuber below ground.

Roots

The root system of young specimens is fibrous, but will slowly enlarge to form a corky caudex with short tuberose roots.

Flowers

rose to purple; 15-35 mm; filaments green to yellow; style purplish; stigma lobes white to yellowish. Flowering late spring (May-June).

Spines

8-15 per areole, mostly in distal areoles at the tip of the stem, divergent to deflexed, red-brown or white, aging grey, somewhat flattened, with woolly areoles white to grey.

Stem

Segmented. The segments are cylindrical to ellipsoid, clavate, 1-4(-10) × 0.5-1.2(-2.5) cm; tubercles purple tinged rather prominent, 5-9 mm;

Fruits

Reddish obconic to ellipsoids, 15-30 × 8-12 mm smooth and juicy in a first time, becoming quickly dry.