Xerophyte

Leaves

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

Description

Austrocylindropuntia floccosaSN|4105]]SN|4105]], (syn

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.