Cylindropuntia wolfii
Cylindropuntia wolfii is a species of the genus Cylindropuntia in the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The specific epithet honors the wolfii American botanist and plant collector Carl Brandt Wolf ( 1905-1974 ). English common names are "Plateau Cholla ", " Rattail Cholla " and " Whipple 's Cholla ".
Description
Cylindropuntia wolfii growing shrubby, is more or less erect, densely branched and reaches heights of growth of 0.5 to 1.5 meters. On the yellowish to gray-green, 6 to 40 centimeters long and 2.5 to 4 inches in diameter measured drive sections are clearly visible hump. The circular to triangular, tan to yellow bewollten areoles turn gray in old age and wear irregularly long yellow to light brown glochids. The twelve to 30 golden to light brown spines are darker in age and are up to 3 inches long. The Thorn sheaths are translucent yellow to light brown.
The flowers are yellowish-green, bronze tinge to something purple-brown. The grayish tan, clearly gehöckerten fruits are spiny and dry. They are between 2.5 and 3 centimeters long and reach a diameter of 1.5 to 3 centimeters.
Systematics and distribution
Cylindropuntia whipplei is distributed in the United States in the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico in the Upper Desert, in grass and woodland in pine woods and the Sagebrush Desert.
The first description as Opuntia echinocarpa var wolfii of Lyman David Benson was released in 1969. Marc A. Baker presented the type in 2001 in the genus Cylindropuntia. Nomenclatural synonyms are Opuntia wolfii ( LDBenson ) MABaker (1992) and Grusonia wolfii ( LDBenson ) GDRowley (2006).