Xerophyte

Origin of Species Name

The specific name comes from the Latin adjective “elata”, tall.

Leaves

Minute, subulate, falling away early.

Seeds

6 mm broad.

Description

Opuntia elataSN|30934]]SN|30934]] is a fast growing more or less erect, much-branched shrubby succulent plant and in time can reach 3 metres height and spread, although 1-1.5 metres is more of the common size. The flower is a brilliant deep orange to yellow and appear from late spring throughout summer. The fruit is club shaped and purple-red when ripe. The joints will occasionally exhibit white straight spines up to 3-4 cm long.

Flowers

Flower-buds rounded at the apex. Flowers rotate, about 3-5(-7) cm broad, orange-yellow to bight orange pollinated by insects. Petals obtuse, broad; filaments short; stigma-lobes white.

Glochids

Wanting in young areoles, later appearing numerous and red-brown, long persistent.

Spines

Spines absent, if present only 1 to 3, except on old stems and there more, greyish-white, white-yellowish, rose- or horn-colored, stiff, sometimes 3.5-4(-8) cm long (usually shorter).

Stem

Segments thick, dark green, obovate oblong to spathulate, compressed, (5-)15-25(-30) cm long, (2-)4-9(-15) cm wide, glossy deep green, margin more or less wavy. The trunk is cylindrical and branched.

Fruits

Oblong, pyriform or club shaped, purple-red, (4-)5-6(-7) cm long, 2-3(-5) cm in thickness, spineless, with a truncate umbilicus.

Areoles

Widely separated, elongated, large (7 mm. in diameter), filled with short white wool, usually spineless.