Xerophyte

Seeds

about 4-4.5 mm in diameter, the largest found in Opuntia engelmanniiSN|19955]]SN|19920]], and with broader rims than is typical for the species.

Description

Opuntia engelmanniiSN|19920]]SN|19920]] var. cyclodes (syn

Stem Segments

Orbicular to obovate (rarely oblong) 15-20 cm long, bright green or yellow green, but older ones may be covered with a light pruinose surface.

Flowers

Smaller than the species, being usually only about 5 cm in diameter and length, with bright orange anthers and 6 or 7 dark green stigma lobes.Fruits. Smaller than Opuntia engelmanniiSN|19920]]SN|19920]] (only about 2.5 cm in diameter), globose with larger seeds, purplish when fully ripe, but not very juicy and not pleasant to the taste.

Chromosome Number

Opuntia engelmanniiSN|19920]]SN|19920]] var. cyclodes is exaploid, 2n = 66.

Spines

More slender than in typical Opuntia engelmanniiSN|19955]]SN|19920]]. Half or almost all areoles may have spines; often there is a single stout, long spine sweeping down from the areole that may be accompanied by 1 or 2 smaller spines, but sometimes up to 6 spines. All spines are deflexed (pointing downward), relatively slender, the current year’s spines are pale yellow or straw-colored with or without red or reddish-brown bases. A typical areole's armour consists of 1 large, flattened spine 18-45 mm long, plus occasionally one or two additional shorter spines below which are only 8-10 mm long; but some specimens show up to 4 of the larger spines spreading downward and 2 of the lower, shorter ones.

Areoles

As the species, except never quite as large in maximum size as in some forms, and only 25-30 mm apart. The glochids, except on current growth, usually missing entirely. On older pads areoles show few and very short glochids, if any, but edge areoles, especially at joint's tip, produce some yellow glochids up to 12 mm long.