Xerophyte

Leaves

Linear, 10 mm long or less.

Seeds

6 mm in diameter, irregular in shape.

Description

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Stem Segments

Joints clavate to subcylindrical, firmly attached, 7-12(-40) cm long, and 1-3 cm wide, sometimes as much as 4 cm in diameter at the top, pale green to grey-green (sometimes glaucous) , with low, broad tubercles, these elongated and often 4 cm. long or more.

Flowers

Purple bronze but also yellow, greenish-bronze or dark maroon, showy,19-26 mm long and 3-5 cm in diameter. CylindrSN'>16362' alt='16363'>Opuntia molesta#SN#16363'>Cylindr[[Opuntia molestaSN' style='border

Blooming Season

Spring (April to June).

Fruits

Ovoid, green, yellow at maturity, the fleshy fruits are 2-4 cm long and deeply excavated at the apex, distinctly tuberculate,spineless or with scattered spines.

Areoles

Widely elliptical, with yellowish brown wool and yellowish brown glochids, 1-2.5 mm long. In the areoles are also present small, cupshaped extrafloral nectaries, the sites at which ants appear to fill their stomach with nectar and the location of nectar buildup when ants were excluded from the plants.