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Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Cactaceae
Opuntia microdasys

Citation: Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 154 (1837).

Synonymy: Cactus microdasys Lehm., Ind. Sem. Hamburg. 1827:16 (1827).

Common name: Rabbit ears, bunny-ears.

Description:
Shrub to 1 m high; joints flattened, orbicular to oblong, velvety-pubescent, yellowish-green, 7-15 cm long; areoles close-set, with many yellow glochids arranged in conspicuous tufts, occasionally with a short yellow spine; leaves deciduous.

Flowers yellow or tinged red, 4-5 cm across.

Fruits subglobose, red.

image of FSA1_Opuntia_mic.jpg Opuntia microdasys
Image source: fig. 189d in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Graf (1963) Exotica 3:479, 482.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: FR, EP, NL, MU.   Native to Texas, U.S.A. There are forms with paler glochids, even white.

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


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