Opuntia polyacantha var. nicholii
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.
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.
... more about "Opuntia polyacantha var. nicholii"
continuous +
yellow +
cushionlike +
arillate +
apart +
elliptic +
distal +
absent +
subcircular +
prostrate +
sessile +
symmetric +
proliferating +
arising +
Navajo Bridge pricklypear +
shallow +
large +
various +
funicular +
osseous +
separating +
intact +
staminate +
symmetric +
arranged +
diurnal +
abscising +
bisexual +
adnate +
epigynous +
burlike +
tan;brown +
drying +
straight +
indehiscent +
stout +
proliferating +
glabrous +
cylindric +
protruding +
aging +
absent +
inconspicuous +
dense +
emarginate-apiculate +
sessile +
alternate +
deciduous +
absent +
vestigial +
succulent +
tuberculate +
fluted;spheric;depressed-spheric or club-shaped +
determinate +
terete +
tinged color +
longest +
deflexed +
specialized +
sepal-like +
true +
surrounding +
sunken +
abscising +
epigynous +
compound +
parietal +
3;14 +
yellow +
coalescent +
thickening +
Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) +
1998 +
vertical +
3;2;2;30 +
minute +
diffuse +
tuberlike +
deep +
adjacent +
developing +
0.4mm;12mm +
absent +
glabrous +
1;400 +
oblong;subcircular +
persistent +
detachable +
Endemic +
bristlelike +
barbed +
curved +
pliable +
stout +
longest +
aging +
ascending +
basal +
absent +
conspicuous +
roughened +
50;1500 +
decurrent +
circular +
green +
detached +
tuberculate +
segmented +
green +
1;3;14 +
absent +
adventitious +
tuberlike +
Opuntia polyacantha var. nicholii +
Opuntia polyacantha +
variety +
5;50 +
segmented +
distinct +
absent +
brushy +
crescent +
broad +
single +
protruding +
enlarged +
pink-gray;gray-brown +
branched +
terrestrial;epiphytic or epipetric +