Opuntia megasperma
Opuntia megasperma in culture
Opuntia megasperma is a flowering plant in the genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ) from the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The epithet of the species derived from the Greek words μέγα (mega ) for " large" and σπέρμα ( semen ) for " seed" and refers to the very large seeds of the Art
Description
Opuntia megasperma grows tree-like with rounded crowns and freely proliferating branches and reaches a height 2-6 meters. The first thorny, later covered with platelets tribe is usually pronounced and reached a diameter of up to one meter. The greenish yellow to blue- green shoot sections are round, ovoid to oblong, 25 to 37 inches long, 15 to 25 inches wide and 1.8 to 3.4 inches thick. The 30 to 42 mm -spaced areoles are egg-shaped and have a diameter of 2 to 6 mm. They carry few or no glochids. The 8 to 50 spines are yellow and reddish brown or dark brown with age.
The yellow to reddish- yellow flowers are 6 to 13 inches long and can reach diameters from 6 to 11 (or more) inches. The green, later becoming yellowish green fruits are top-shaped, 6 to 17 centimeters long, reach a diameter from 2.7 to 6 inches and are covered with small bristly spines. The large seeds are 5 to 13 millimeters long.
Systematics and distribution
Opuntia megasperma is spread on the Galápagos Islands.
The first description was in 1933 by John Thomas Howell. We distinguish the following varieties:
- Opuntia megasperma megasperma var
- Opuntia megasperma var mesophytica Lundh
- Opuntia megasperma var orientalis ( JTHowell ) DMPorter