Opuntia littoralis

(Engelmann) Cockerell

Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 4: 15. 1905.

Basionym: Opuntia engelmannii var. littoralis Engelmann
Synonyms: Opuntia lindheimeri var. littoralis (Engelmann) J. M. Coult erOpuntia occidentalis var. littoralis (Engelmann) ParishOpuntia semispinosa Griffiths
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Mentioned on page 140.
Revision as of 14:02, 27 July 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Shrubs, spreading to sprawling, forming large clumps, to 1 × 1–9 m. Stem segments not disarticulating, green, flattened, elliptic to obovate to rhombic, 15–25(–40) × 6.5–14 cm, ± tuberculate, glabrous, usually glaucous; areoles 5–7(–8) per diagonal row across midstem segment, prominent, subcircular(-oval), 4–6 × 4–5 mm, enlarging in age; wool gray. Spines 4–11 per areole, in most areoles, yellow with chalky white coat, to yellow with red-brown basal portions, aging reddish gray; erect ones terete, stout, straight; abaxial ones reflexed, shorter, to 12 mm; adaxial spines spreading, longest spines 20–40 mm. Glochids moderately dense in crescent at adaxial edge of areole, merging with subapical tuft when present, yellow to red-brown, to 5 mm. Flowers: inner tepals yellow to dull red throughout, 35–45 mm; filaments yellow to orange-yellow; anthers yellow; style pink to red; stigma lobes yellow-green to green. Fruits dark red-purple throughout, obovoid, 35–50 × 30–35 mm, juicy, glabrous, spineless; areoles 22–36. Seeds gray, subcircular, warped, 3–4.5 mm diam.; girdle protruding 0.5 mm. 2n = 66.


Phenology: Flowering spring (Apr–May).
Habitat: Coastal sage scrub, chaparral
Elevation: 10-400 m

Distribution

V4 266-distribution-map.gif

Calif. (including Channel Islands), Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Opuntia littoralis"
Donald J. Pinkava +
(Engelmann) Cockerell +
Opuntia engelmannii var. littoralis +
Calif. (including Channel Islands) +  and Mexico (Baja California). +
10-400 m +
Coastal sage scrub, chaparral +
Flowering spring (Apr–May). +
Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. +
Opuntia lindheimeri var. littoralis +, Opuntia occidentalis var. littoralis +  and Opuntia semispinosa +
Opuntia littoralis +
species +