Opuntia sulphurea

Opuntia sulphurea
	Opuntia sulphurea
Systematics
Order :	Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family :	Cactus family (Cactaceae)
Subfamily :	Opuntioideae
Tribe :	Opuntieae
Genre :	Opuntia ( Opuntia )
Type :	Opuntia sulphurea
Scientific name
	Opuntia sulphurea
	Gillies ex Salm-Dyck

Opuntia sulphurea is a species of plant in the genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ) from the cactus family(Cactaceae). The specific epithet sulphurea means '(Latin sulphureus) sulfur yellow'.

description

Opuntia sulphurea grows shrubby with several spreading branches and forms groups with heights of up to 30 centimeters and diameters of 1 to 2 meters. The green, elongated to obovate shoot sections , often tinged with purple, are heavily tuberous and fall off easily. They are 12 to 25 centimeters long. The conical leaf rudiments on it are up to 2 millimeters long. The small white areoles stand on the humps of the shoot sections. Their glochids are yellowish red. The two to eight spread, stiff, thick, straight to slightly curved and occasionally twisted thorns are brownish to red.

The yellow flowers reach a length of up to 4 centimeters. The fruits are up to 1 centimeter long.

Distribution, systematics and endangerment

Opuntia sulphurea is common in northern Argentina , Bolivia and Paraguay up to altitudes of 3500 meters.

The first description was published in 1834 by Joseph zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck . A nomenclature synonym is Platyopuntia sulphurea (G. Don ex Loudon) F. Ritter (1980, incorrect name, ICBN -Article 11.4). Another synonym is among others Opuntia maculacantha C.F. Forst . (1861).

The following subspecies are distinguished:

Opuntia sulphurea subsp. sulphurea
Opuntia sulphurea subsp. brachyacantha (F.Ritter) PJBraun & Esteves
Opuntia sulphurea subsp. spinibarbis (F.Ritter) PJBraun & Esteves

In the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN , the species is listed as " Least Concern (LC) ". H. listed as not endangered. The development of the populations is considered stable.

proof

literature

Edward F. Anderson : The Great Cactus Lexicon . Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-8001-4573-1 , p. 478-479 .

Individual evidence

↑ Hortus Dyckensis or Catalog des plantes cultivées dan les jardins de Dyck . Arnz & Comp., Düsseldorf 1834, pp. 360-361 (online) .
^ Opuntia sulphurea in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Listed by: Oakley, L., Pin, A. & Duarte, W., 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2015.

Web links

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

[1] Hortus Dyckensis or Catalog des plantes cultivées dan les jardins de Dyck . Arnz & Comp., Düsseldorf 1834, pp. 360-361 (online) .

[2] Opuntia sulphurea in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Listed by: Oakley, L., Pin, A. & Duarte, W., 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2015.