Xerophyte

Description

Consolea moniliformisSN|9726]]SN|9726]] (a.k.a. Opuntia moniliformisSN|9727]]SN|9727]]) is a tree-like cactus species to 4(-7) m hight, freely branching in the crowns. In this species, as in a few other opuntias, the fruits are quite proliferous, often in long chains of 2-5 (or more) individuals or forming compound clusters. They hangs on for a number of years and usually remaining green. They are, however, easily detached, and on falling to the ground, readily take root and start new colonies.

Flowers

Yellow to orange to 5 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter, opening widely, with recurved perianth parts; sepals as broad as long, or broader, apiculate; petals yellow to orange, ovate, apiculate, spreading; stamens much shorter than the petals; pericarpel cylindric to obovoid-cylindric, terete or nearly so, 4 to 5 cm long, its distinctly elevated areoles close together, only 5 or 6 mm apart, bearing brown glochids 2 mm long, but no spines.

Spines

Yellowish or grey, acicular and sharp sometimes absent. The spines in the trunk are numerose sometimes to 12 cm long (usually much shorter) , their bases clothed with yellowish-white wool 1 to 2 cm long; those of young joints 3 to 6 near the edges of the areoles, 1 to 2.5 cm long; those on the sides of the young joints often spineless or with 1 to 3 yellowish spines, and with small tufts of greyish wool; older joints bearing at all areoles 5 to 8 yellowish spines similar to those of the trunk, and brown glochids 6 or 8 mm long. Some of the joints and, perhaps, some whole plants of this species are nearly or quite spineless.

Stem

The trunk erect, well defined, somewhat flattened above, unjointed, 3-4 m tall branching at the top and densely armed with spines; the branches widely spreading; joints flat, obliquely linear-oblong, sickle shaped or obovate, 10-30 cm long, 7-13 cm broad, about 1 cm thick, obtuse, distinctly areolate-reticulate.

Fruits

Oblong-obovoid to ovoid, up to 6 cm long.

Areoles

Somewhat elevated, 1 to 1.5 cm apart, with brown glochids