Opuntia gosseliniana
Opuntia gosseliniana | |
---|---|
Opuntia gosseliniana var. duraznilla | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Core eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Genus: | Opuntia |
Species: | O. gosseliniana |
Binomial name | |
Opuntia gosseliniana F.A.C.Weber | |
Opuntia gosseliniana, commonly known as the violet pricklypear, is a species of cactus that is native to Pima County, Arizona in the United States and Baja California, Chihuahua, and Sonora in Mexico.
Like most prickly pears, the pads are flat. Unlike most prickly pears, they have a violet, pink, or red tinge, hence the name. The cactus reaches mature heights of one to five feet and blooms either yellow or red.
Taxonomy
Different authorities disagree on the division of plants into Opuntia chlorotica, Opuntia violacea, Opuntia gosseliniana, Opuntia macrocentra,[1][2] and perhaps others. To complicate the issue, there are numerous natural hybrids between species.
Synonyms
- Opuntia chlorotica Engelm. & Bigelow var. gosseliniana (A. Weber) Ferguson
- Opuntia violacea Engelm. var. gosseliniana (A. Weber) L. Benson
Varieties
- O. gosseliniana var. duraznilla
- O. gosseliniana var. santa-rita (also known as Opuntia santa-rita[3])
Distribution
The above-mentioned taxonomic issues complicate any attempt to describe the distribution of particular varieties or species. O. gosseliniana is especially known from Mexico,[4] but has been reported from Arizona.[5]
References
- ↑ "Opuntia macrocentra". Flora of North America. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ↑ Ferguson, David (1988). "Opuntia macrocentra Eng. and Opuntia chlorotica Eng. and Big." (PDF). Cactus and Succulent Journal. Retrieved 2013-06-27.
- ↑ "Santa Rita Prickly Pear (Opuntia santa-rita)". Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ↑ "Opuntia santa-rita". Flora of North America. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ↑ Thomas R. Van Devender and Ana Lilia Reina. "The Forgotten Flora of la Frontera" (PDF).
External links
- Wikispecies Page
- USDA PLANTS Profile for Opuntia gosseliniana
- USDA PLANTS Profile for Opuntia santa-rita
- USDA GRIN Taxonomy for plants
- ITIS Report