Opuntia laevis

Opuntia laevis
Systematics
Order :	Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family :	Cactus family (Cactaceae)
Subfamily :	Opuntioideae
Tribe :	Opuntieae
Genre :	Opuntia ( Opuntia )
Type :	Opuntia laevis
Scientific name
	Opuntia laevis
	JMCoult.

Opuntia laevis is a species of plant in the genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ) from the cactus family(Cactaceae). The specific epithet laevis comes from Latin and means '(smooth, even) and stands for a temporarily absent or comparatively short thorn'. English common names are "Smooth Prickly Pear" and "Spineless Prickly Pear".

description

Opuntia laevis usually grows dense and low shrubbery with few branches and reaches heights of 1 to 2 meters. The light green, obovate to elongated shoot sections are 15 to 30 centimeters long. The small areoles are far apart. The glochids are yellow. The one to three grayish white thorns , which are sometimes missing, are usually present on the upper areoles. They are up to 1 inch long.

The lemon-yellow flowers reach a diameter of 6 to 7 centimeters. The obovate fruits are 5 to 7 centimeters long.

Distribution and systematics

Opuntia laevis is common in the United States in the state of Arizona .

The first description was in 1896 by John Merle Coulter . A nomenclature synonym is Opuntia phaeacantha var. Laevis (JMCoult.) LDBenson (1969).

proof

literature

Edward F. Anderson : The Great Cactus Lexicon . Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-8001-4573-1 , p. 463 .

Individual evidence

↑ Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names . Birkhäuser 2004, ISBN 3-540-00489-0 , p. 131.
↑ John M. Coulter: Preliminary Revision of the North American Species of Echinocactus, Cereus, and Opuntia . In: Contributions from the United States National Herbarium . Volume 3, Number 7, 1896, p. 419 (online) .

Web links

Commons : Opuntia laevis - collection of images, videos and audio files

[1] Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names . Birkhäuser 2004, ISBN 3-540-00489-0 , p. 131.

[2] John M. Coulter: Preliminary Revision of the North American Species of Echinocactus, Cereus, and Opuntia . In: Contributions from the United States National Herbarium . Volume 3, Number 7, 1896, p. 419 (online) .