OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Caryophyllales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Opuntia cespitosa   FAMILY Cactaceae   Go to FSUS key



(?) INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Opuntia humifusa   FAMILY Cactaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Opuntia cespitosa

INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America

Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)

Opuntia humifusa

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa

INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 132-01-001?:

Opuntia compressa   FAMILY Cactaceae

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Opuntia opuntia

 

COMMON NAME:
Common Eastern Prickly-pear


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Opuntia cespitosa, Common Eastern Prickly-pear

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_o_humifusa_humifusa

May        

Tepals yellow with red/maroon bases (vs. O. humifusa & mesacantha entirely yellow, per Weakley's Flora (2022).

image of Opuntia cespitosa, Common Eastern Prickly-pear

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_opuntia_humifusa_18

May        

image of Opuntia cespitosa, Common Eastern Prickly-pear

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_o_humifusa_humif

June        

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Opuntia cespitosa   FAMILY Cactaceae

(?) INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Opuntia humifusa   FAMILY Cactaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Opuntia cespitosa

INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America
Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Opuntia humifusa

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa

INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 132-01-001?:
Opuntia compressa   FAMILY Cactaceae

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Opuntia opuntia

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

4211

Shrub
Perennial

Habitat: limestone and chalk outcrops, dolomite outcrops, glades, sandy or blackland prairies, upland hardwood or mixed hardwood-pine forests in dry, clay soils, per Weakley's Flora

Native to Georgia

Rare in GA Mountains

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Cladodes armed with glochids (hair-like spines or short prickles) & spines

LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Alternate

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Yellow with red or maroon bases
Radially symmetrical
Numerous tepals (usually)
Numerous stamens (usually)
Inferior ovary
Bisexual or sometimes functionally staminate

FRUIT:
Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall
Purple/ Reddish-brown
Berry

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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