Xerophyte

Leaves

Rudimental, awl shaped, dark green, fairly persistent, to 7 mm long.

Description

Austrocylindropuntia floccosaSN|4105]]SN|4105]] (Tephrocactus floccosus is a groundcover cactus that forms thousand-head colonies or compact cushions of up to 60 (and over) cm of diameter. This plant is covered with a dense, long-woolly felt of white hair and yellow spines from which emerge bright yellow flowers.

Flowers

Up to 3 cm long, petals orange-red (or yellow) with yellow centre; pericarpelswith areoles above, spineless.

Glochids

Long, hairy, soft, sinuous, entangled or straight, sometimes absent and whitish/grey.

Spines

Occasionally 2 or more numerous yellow, erect approx. 2 cm long.

Stem

The crested form has green fan-shaped stem up to 15 cm long, 6 cm thick, with tuberculate surface.

Fruits

Truncate globose, sometimes with tubercles, yellowish when unripe, sugary/orange when ripen and slightly hairy.

Areoles

Borne high on tubercle shoulders.