Xerophyte

Seeds

Tan to light brown, flattened, irregularly shaped, 3-6 mm.

Description

Opuntia aureispinaSN|10924]]SN|10924]] (golden-spined prickly pear) is a treelike shrub with many ascending branches near ground level 1-1.5 m tall, from short heavily spined trunks. As suggested by its common name, it posses rather long, golden spines. The spines appear more numerous and longest an upper part of pads. Opuntia aureispinaSN|10924]]SN|10924]] can be distinguished from other prickly- pears by its spiny fruits that are fleshy at first but dry and hard at maturity, and its yellow flowers with reddish bases. This species, was discovered by the author in 1985 and described by Heil and Brack (1988).

Stem Segments

Joints not detaching easily, flattened, glaucous, light blue-green to yellow-green, circular to broadly obovate pads 8-16 cm long and 8-12 cm wide more or less tuberculate, glabrous.

Flowers

Yellow with bright orange or red centres, 5-8 cm long, 6-7 cm in diameter. Perianth segments yellow with an orange-red base, 3-4 cm long. Filaments yellow to pale green; anthers pale yellow. Stigma lobes pale green or pale yellow. Style yellowish or pink.

Glochids

Yellow, spaced in narrow row circling areoles, subapical tuft not or poorly developed, yellow, unequal in length to 5 mm long.

Blooming Season

This species is expected to bloom in spring (late March and April). Flowers open mid- to late morning, close at night, and usually do not reopen.

Chromosome Number

2n = 22. Diploid

Spines

4-12 per areole, found in all areoles from upper margin to base of pad, spreading, and evenly distributed, bright yellow-orange to light brown, red brown at the base, all with yellow tips. ageing tan to nearly black, not chalky white. Central spines (1-)3-5(-6) needle-like, sometimes flattened and twisted 2-6 cm long. Radial spines 1-7 slender, deflexed, 2 cm long reddish brown at base.

Fruits

Ovoid, burlike, 3-4 cm long, 2-2.5 cm in diameter, beginning fleshy, quickly drying, pale green to reddish tan and hard when mature with 12-25 areoles bearing several rigid yellow spines.

Areoles

6-8 per diagonal row across the midstem segment, ovate to oblong, 4-5 mm long, 1-3 mm wide with brownish to black wool.