Family: Cactaceae
Opuntia imbricata
Citation:
DC., Prod. 3:471 (1828).
Synonymy: Cereus imbricatus Haw., Rev. Pl. Succ. 70 (1821); Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.)F. Knuth in Backeb. & F. Knuth, Kaktus-ABC 125 (1935); O. decipiens DC., Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 17:118 (1828); O. arborescens Engelm. in Wisliz., Mere. Tour. North. Mex. 90 (1848).
Common name: Devils rope, devils rope pear, chain-link cactus.
Description:
Tree-like, to 3.5 m high, with a cylindrical woody trunk c. 7 cm or more diam.; joints terete, cylindrical, 8-20 cm long, 2.5-3 cm diam., covered with laterally compressed tubercles; leaves deciduous; spines 6-30, brownish to white, to 4 cm long, covered with papery sheaths.
flowers pink to purple or rose, c. 7 cm across; style white; stamens purple.
Fruits dry, glabrous, yellowish, to 4 cm long, tuberculate.
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Image source: fig 189b in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 503.
Distribution:
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Native to central U.S.A. and Mexico.
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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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