Cylindropuntia ramosissima
Cylindropuntia ramosissima
Cylindropuntia ramosissima is a species of the genus Cylindropuntia in the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The specific epithet ramosissima means highly branched (Latin ramosissimus ) superlative of ramosus '. English common names are " Branched Pencil Cholla " and " Diamond Cholla ".
Description
Cylindropuntia ramosissima growing shrubby or tree-like, is interwoven branching and reaches heights of growth of 0.5 to 2 meters. On the fixed adherends green, graying dry, cylindrical, 2-10 cm long and 0.4 to 1 cm in diameter measured drive sections are rhomusförmige convex hump. The almost circular, tan to white bewollten areoles protrude at the top and are sandwiched between the adjacent cusps. They carry up to 2 mm long yellow to brown glochids. The one to five spines are located mostly at the areoles near the tip of the shoots or occasionally missing entirely. They are tan to reddish brown to deep purple color and turn gray with age. Of the up to two main spines of the longest and is spread from 2.5 to 6 inches long. The lower main spines are bent back and the majority of up to 1 inches long.
The flowers are bronze-red with a slight pink tinge. The ellipsoidal tan fruits are dry and are velcro -like. They are 1.5 to 3.5 inches long, and have diameters of 1 to 1.5 centimeters.
Systematics and distribution
Cylindropuntia ramosissima is distributed in the United States in the states of California, Arizona and Nevada as well as in the Mexican states of Baja California, Baja California Sur and Sonora in the Mojave and Sonoran desert.
The first description as Opuntia ramosissima by George Engelmann was published in 1852. Frederik Marcus Knuth introduced the type 1930 in the genus Cylindropuntia.