Opuntia insularis
Opuntia insularis is a species in the genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ) from the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The epithet of the species refers to the range of the species, the Galápagos Islands.
Description
Opuntia insularis growing shrubby to tree-like with a height of 1.5 to 2.5 meters. A strain is hardly formed. The green to greenish yellow engine sections are round, oblong or ovate, 20-52 cm long, 18-25 cm wide and 0.5 to 2.5 inches thick. The 14 to 18 mm -spaced areoles are whitish and have a diameter between 4-7 mm. The yellow glochids are 4-6 millimeters long. The fairly equal length, 10 to 50 spines are yellow, will be distributed at the age reddish brown or dark brown and are evenly over the engine. Some are sharp bristly other, the majority is 1 to 2 inches long, some thorns, however, up to 5 inches long.
Little is known about the presumably yellow flowers. The green fruits are spherical, 2, 4.2 inches long to reach diameter 2-3 inches and are covered with small spines and glochids.
Systematics and distribution
Opuntia insularis is disseminated to the lying in Columbus Archipelago islands Isla Fernandina and Isla Isabela.
The first description was in 1911 by Alban N. Stewart.