Opuntia stricta
Opuntia stricta
Opuntia stricta is a species in the genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ) from the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The specific epithet stricta means (Latin strictus ) tight, tight, tight, stiff, strong '. The species was spread by people around the world and developed at the end of the 19th century in Australia to fighting a weed pest. Trivial names are "Coastal Prickly Pear " and " Yaaxpakan ".
Description
Opuntia stricta growing shrubby, lengthwise prostrate to somewhat erect and reaches stature heights of 0.5 to 3.5 meters. The bare, flattened, ovate to reverse- egg-shaped, tapered at the base drive sections are blue-green. They are 10 to 25 inches long and 6 to 25 inches wide. The brownish areoles are far apart. They carry striking, yellow glochids are 2-6 millimeters long. The 1-5 pfriemlichen, flattened at the top provided with a slight barb spines are yellow. They are perpendicular to the surface of the shoots and are 0.5 to 5 inches long.
The yellow to yellowish- orange flowers achieve a length of 5 to 6 cm and a diameter of 4 to 6 centimeters. The purplish-red, smooth fruits are inversely egg-shaped, tapering at the base. They are 2.5 to 3.5 inches long and covered with abundant glochids.
Systematics and distribution
Opuntia stricta is common in the southeastern United States in eastern Mexico and Cuba. The species was spread by people worldwide.
The first description as Cactus strictus was published in 1803 by Adrian Hardy Haworth. In 1812 he presented the kind then in the genus Opuntia.