Family: Cactaceae
Opuntia robusta
Citation:
H.L. Wendl. in Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 165 (1837).
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Camuesa, wheel cactus, wheel pear.
Description:
Erect shrub to small tree to 6 m high; joints flattened, orbicular or nearly so, blue-glaucous, to 30 cm long; areoles remote; spines 8-12, stout, set in brownish-yellow glochids, white with a yellowish or brownish base, to 5 cm long; leaves deciduous.
Flowers often unisexual, yellow, c. 5 cm across.
Fruits 7-9 cm, long, red or purplish-red.
| Opuntia robusta
|
Image source: fig 188g in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
|
Published illustration:
Parsons (1973) Noxious weeds of Victoria, figs 18 & 19; Graf (1978) Tropica, p. 238.
Distribution:
|
S.Aust.: FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL. Vic. Native to Mexico. Some forms have fewer and shorter spines.
|
Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: late spring — summer.
|
SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
|
Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
|