Opuntia humifusa
Opuntia humifusa
Opuntia humifusa is a flowering plant in the genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ) from the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). Opuntia humifusa is hardy in Central Europe. The specific epithet humifusa means prostrate on the ground, lying low '.
Description
Opuntia humifusa is a Horstig to bushy growing Feigenkakus which decumbent can reach a height of 10 centimeters, in exceptional cases up to 30 inches high. The leaf-like, 5 to 7.5 (rarely to 12.5 ) centimeters segments are white busy round to oval and with little to brown areoles. These areoles have a diameter of about 3 mm and a distance between themselves 1-2 inches. At the younger areoles, at the top of the segments, isolated brown to gray spines can be reported. These thorns are 2-3 inches long and are perpendicular to the segment surface. The flowering period extends from June to July. The yellow flowers are simply built. They have a diameter and a length of 4 to 6 centimeters. After successful pollination is reddish -studded glochids, edible fruits develop.
Opuntia humifusa is a very variable plant, which is also reflected in the very large area of distribution. On the natural sites of different forms of plants with widely differing habitual forms exist. It is possible to plant entirely without spines, as well as very hard to find spined plants. Also, the flower color may vary by location. In this context, it is not yet entirely clear whether all of these location types can be summarized as Opuntia humifusa.
In Florida and North Carolina there is a plant which has been described as Opuntia drummondii Graham. The American botanist Lyman David Benson does not recognize this type and is of the opinion that there is a natural hybrid between Opuntia Opuntia pusilla and humifusa. He was in South Carolina at a location where both Opuntienarten occur, a population of hybrids, with many transitional forms have been found.
System
The first description was in 1820 by a Cactus humifusus Constantine Samuel Rafinesque - Schmaltz. Ten years later he introduced the species in the genus Opuntia.
Synonyms are:
- Opuntia allairei Griffiths
- Opuntia calcicola Wherry
- Opuntia compressa (Salisbury ) Macbride, invalid taxon according to ICBN
- Opuntia cumulicola Small
- Opuntia fuscoatra Engelmann
- Opuntia impedata Small ex Britton & Rose
- Opuntia nemoralis Griffiths
- Opuntia rafinesquei Engelmann
- Opuntia rubiflora Griffiths
- Opuntia vulgaris Miller - " misapplied "
Occurrence
This cactus comes with before in the entire western and central states of the USA. The natural range extends from the Canadian border to northern Mexico. But he is also naturalized in Europe and even grows in the Swiss Alps.
It is unpretentious, but prefers sunny locations and well-drained soils. Opuntia humifusa is usually hardy and can withstand temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius, if it is not too wet in winter. The plants are considered to be one of the toughest winter hardy cacti.
Use
From the Plains tribes, the Dakota and Pawnee peeled shoots of Opuntia humifusa be used for wound treatment. The Lakota use it to treat snakebites. The Nanticoke They use to cure warts.