Xerophyte

Leaves

Deciduous, conical, 6 mm long, dark green.

Description

AustrocylindrSN'>4067' alt='4152'>Opuntia vestita#SN#4068'>Austrocylindr[[Opuntia vestitaSN' style='border

Similar Species

AustrocylindrSN'>4151' alt='4152'>Opuntia shaferi#SN#4152'>Austrocylindr[[Opuntia shaferiSN' style='border

Note

This member of the Cactaceae family was given this name by John Adolf Shafer (1863–1918). USAmerican botanist, pharmacist and plant collector who collected cacti for the botanists N. L. Britton and J. N. Rose in South America in 1916–1917. Shafer's Opuntia.

Flowers

Deep red, to 3 cm long arising at upper areoles. Pericarpels globose to pear shaped, 1.5-2 cm long and in diameter, green, spineless but with numerous areoles bearing hairs and glochids. Perianth rotate with about 20 segments, the outer smaller, greenish red, the inner to 2 cm long, broad, shining deep red. Stamens 20-30, 16 mm long, filaments and anthers yellow. Ovaryglobose, 8 mm in diameter; style cylindric, slightly protruding over the stamens, cream-coloured, stigma lobes 4-5 green, papillose.

Glochids

Numerous, prominent, whitish from the upper margin of the areole.

Spines

6-15 at an areole, brownish, reddish brown or whitish, needle-like, unequal, not stout, flexible, spreading, varying from 1 to 5 cm long and sometimes associated with long white hairs or bristles. Hairs few to several (5-20), 0.5-2 cm long, white, caducous.

Stem

Usually in clusters of 2 to 20, branching near soil level, erect, sometimes divided into distinct segments. Segments cylindrical to subclavate, to 15 cm long and 2.5 to 3.5 cm in diameter, dark green, very spiny. Tubercles low, often indistinct, irregular.

Fruits

Globular, about 2 cm in diameter, bright red, half-dry, bearing numerous large areoles, the areoles white-felted, with glochids and hairs, but no spines, caducous when ripe. umbiculus flat, pale-brown. Pulp, white.

Areoles

1 cm apart or less, small, circular, white-felted.