Opuntia polyacantha var. nicholii

(L. D. Benson) B. D. Parfitt

Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 70: 188. 1998.

Common names: Navajo Bridge pricklypear
Endemic
Basionym: Opuntia nicholii L. D. Benson Cacti Arizona ed. 2, 48. 1950
Synonyms: Opuntia hystricina var. nicholii (L. D. Benson) Backe berg
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 147.
Revision as of 08:18, 30 July 2020 by imported>Volume Importer
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Stem segments narrowly to broadly obovate, 10–27 × 7–18 cm; areoles 8–11 per diagonal row across midstem segment, 12–30 mm apart. Spines in most areoles, of 2 kinds: major spines 1–5 per areole, down curved, ascending near stem segment apex, pink-gray or basal 2/3 brown to black, the longest 45–150 mm; minor spines 3–8 per areole, deflexed, white to gray, 60–220 cm (spine clusters easily detached in preparing specimens). Fruits stout; areoles 18–24, most bearing 3–12 spines, 8–17 mm. 2n = 66.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Barren areas with saltbush and ephedra, limestone or red, sandy soils
Elevation: 1200-1300 m

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"longest" is not a number.

cushionlike +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
deciduous +  and persistent +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
18 +  and 24 +
subcircular +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
Donald J. Pinkava +
(L. D. Benson) B. D. Parfitt +
Opuntia nicholii +
proliferating +
flattened +  and cylindric +
Navajo Bridge pricklypear +
Ariz. +  and Utah. +
1200-1300 m +
red +  and magenta +
salverform +, cup-shaped +  and rotate +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
spineless +  and stipitate +
straight +
indehiscent +
persistent +, long +  and deciduous +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
proliferating +
tuberculate +  and smooth +
cylindric +
fleshy +  and juicy or dry +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
inconspicuous +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
foveolate +  and reticulate +
Barren areas with saltbush and ephedra, limestone or red, sandy soils +
oblong +  and spatulate +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
deciduous +
flattened +  and conic +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
succulent +
tuberculate +
fluted;spheric;depressed-spheric or club-shaped +
tinged color +
white +  and gray +
60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br /> (220 cm2,200 mm <br />2.2 m <br />) +
open +  and simple +
sometimes covered by outgrowths of proximal portion of style base or of flower tube wall +  and open +
persistent +  and deciduous +
Flowering spring. +
ridgelike +  and nipple--shaped +
Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) +
3;2;2;30 +
tuberlike +
tan +  and gray +
0.4mm;12mm +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
oblong;subcircular +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br /> (17 cm170 mm <br />0.17 m <br />) +
brown +  and black +
deciduous +  and persistent +
conspicuous +
with hairlike bristles +  and setose +
3 (?) +  and 12 (?) +
acicular +, terete +  and flattened +
4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
hard +  and rigid +
decurrent +
winged +  and unsegmented +
tuberculate +  and smooth +
60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (27 cm270 mm <br />0.27 m <br />) +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (18 cm180 mm <br />0.18 m <br />) +
segmented +
woody +  and succulent +
white +  and pale-pink +
Opuntia hystricina var. nicholii +
adventitious +
tuberlike +
epipetric +  and epiphytic +
Opuntia polyacantha var. nicholii +
Opuntia polyacantha +
variety +
dull +  and glossy +
yellow +  and paler +
segmented +
crescent +
9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br /> (18.5 cm185 mm <br />0.185 m <br />) +
pink-gray;gray-brown +
straight +  and curling +
ascending +  and deflexed +
2 (?) +, 0 (?) +  and 18 (?) +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br />) +
terrestrial;epiphytic or epipetric +
erect +  and trailing +
tan +  and brown +