Austrocylindropuntia lagopus f. rauhii
Kakteen Südamerika 4: 1243 (1981), without basionym vol. or page
Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Species
Austrocylindropuntia lagopus f. rauhii
Author
(Backeb.) F.Ritter
Chinese genus
南美圆柱仙人掌属
Chinese name
-
Accepted
DescriptionEdit description
Habit
Austrocylindropuntia floccosaSN|4113]]SN|4105]] 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.
Leaves
Rudimental, awl shaped, dark green, fairly persistent, to 7 mm long.
Description
Austrocylindropuntia lagopus f. rauhiiSN|4105]]SN|4113]] is one of the morphological or local forms of Austrocylindropuntia floccosaSN|4105]]SN|4105]], and the two plants are not readily distinguishable, if not for the geographical provenance. More likely they are one and the same species.
Stem Segments
Short cylindrical, sometimes ellipsoidal to subglobose, up to15 cm long, 6 cm in diameter, spirally tuberculate.
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.
Fruits
Truncate globose, sometimes with tubercles, yellowish when unripe, sugary/orange when ripen and slightly hairy.
Areoles
Borne high on tubercle shoulders.