Opuntia fragilis

Opuntia fragilis

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Genus:	Opuntia
Species:	O. fragilis
Binomial name
*Opuntia fragilis* (Nutt.) Haw.
Synonyms
Cactus fragilis Opuntia brachyarthra

Opuntia fragilis, known by the common names brittle pricklypear and little prickly pear, is a prickly pear cactus native to much of North America. It occurs in several Canadian provinces. It is known from farther north than any other cactus,^[1] occurring at as close as 8°south of the Arctic Circle, (58°N latitude) in Alberta.^[2] There is an isolated and possibly genetically unique population in Eastern Ontario known as the "Kaladar cactus".^[3]

Description

Brittle pricklypear is a small decumbent cactus that grows to a maximum height of 10 centimeters (4 in).^[4] Both the common and scientific names refer to the easily detached stem segments. This is known to be a means of plant dispersal.^[4]

Opuntia fragilis is a small, prostrate plant, rarely more than 4 inches high: joints tumid, fragile, easily detached, oval, elliptical, or subglobose, 1-2 in. long and nearly as thick as broad, bright green: areoles ¼-½ in. apart, with whitish wool and a few white to yellow bristles, which are much longer and more abundant on older joints; spines 1-4, occasionally a few small additional ones, weak, dark brown, the upper one usually longer and stronger than the others, rarely an inch in length: flowers greenish yellow, 1-1¼ inches wide: fruit ovate to subglobose. with few spines or bristles, mostly sterile, an inch or less long; seeds few and large. Rocky Mountain region from Canada to New Mexico.^[5]

Subspecies and varieties

Var. brachyarthra, Coult. A plant with more swollen joints, more numerous and stronger spines, smaller flowers and more spiny fruit Colorado, New Mexico.
Var. caespitosa, Hort. Joints bright green, smaller and more crowded than in the type: flowers bright yellow. Colorado.
Var. tuberiformis, Hort. Joints olive-green, bulbous-looking. Colorado.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Opuntia fragilis.

Wikispecies has information related to: Opuntia fragilis

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