Family: Cactaceae
Opuntia ficus-indica
Citation:
-indica, (L.)Miller, Gard. Dict. edn 8 (1768).
Synonymy: Cactus ficus-indica L., Sp. Pl. 468 (1753); O. megacantha Salm-Dyck, Hort. Dyck. 363 (1834); O. engelmannii Salm-Dyck in Engelm., Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6:207 (1850).
Common name: Indian fig.
Description:
Tree-like or bushy, to 6 m high; joints flattened, oblong to spathulate, 30-50 cm long; leaves deciduous; areoles present; spines mostly absent but if present 1-5, white; glochids yellow, numerous, soon deciduous.
Flowers yellow, 8-10 cm across.
Fruit mostly red, less often purple, yellow or white, to c. 9 cm long.
Published illustration:
Graf (1978) Tropica, pp. 240, 241.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: NU, GT, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL. Vic. Origin unknown, probably tropical America, naturalised in the tropics and subtropical areas, widely cultivated for the edible fruit.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: late spring — summer.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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