View source for Opuntia fragilis

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Opuntia fragilis
|accepted_authority=(Nuttall) Haworth
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Suppl. Pl. Succ.,
|place=82. 1819
|year=1819
}}
|common_names=Brittle pricklypear;little pricklypear
|basionyms={{Treatment/ID/Basionym
|name=Cactus fragilis
|authority=Nuttall
|publication_title=Gen. N. Amer. Pl.
|publication_place=1: 296. 1818
}}
|synonyms={{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Opuntia brachyarthra
|authority=Engelmann & J. M. Bigelow
}} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Opuntia fragilis var. brach
|authority=yarthra (Engelmann & J. M. Bigelow) J. M. Coulter
}}
|hierarchy=Cactaceae;Cactaceae subfam. Opuntioideae;Opuntia;Opuntia fragilis
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Cactaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>subfamily</small>[[Cactaceae subfam. Opuntioideae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Opuntia]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>species</small>[[Opuntia fragilis]]</div></div>
|volume=Volume 4
|mention_page=page 93, 124
|treatment_page=page 146
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-undefined" data-properties=""><b>Shrubs,</b> low, forming mats, 2–10 cm. <b>Stem</b> segments easily detached when terminal, dark green, subspheric to subcylindric, to flattened and elliptic obovate, (1.5–)2–5.5 × (1–)1.5–3 cm, low tuberculate (pronounced when dried), glabrous; areoles 3–5 per diagonal row across midstem segment, oval, 3 × 2.5 mm; wool white. <b>Spines</b> 3–8 per areole, in most areoles spreading, gray with brown tips, straight, ± acicular, terete, the longest 8–24 mm; depressed spines at base of areoles 0–3, 1–3 mm. <b>Glochids</b> in crescent at adaxial margin of areole, tan to brown, inconspicuous, to 3 mm. <b>Flowers</b>: inner tepals yellow, sometimes basally red, 20–26 mm; filaments white or red; anthers yellow; style white; stigma lobes green. <b>Fruits</b> tan, 10–30 × 8–15 mm, dry, glabrous; areoles 12–22, distal areoles bearing 1–6 short spines. <b>Seeds</b> tan to gray, flattened, warped, oblong to subcircular, 5–6 mm diam.; girdle protruding 1–1.5 mm. <b>2n</b> = 66.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|phenology=Flowering summer (late Jun-early Jul).
|habitat=Barren areas in grasslands, woodlands, sandy or gravelly soils, on outcrops of granite, limestone, or quartzite
|elevation=0-2400 m
|distribution=Alta.;B.C.;Man.;Ont.;Sask.;Ariz.;Calif.;Colo.;Idaho;Ill.;Iowa;Kans.;Mich. ;Minn.;Mont.;Nebr.;N.Mex.;N.Dak.;Okla.;Oreg.;S.Dak.;Tex.;Utah;Wash.;Wis.;Wyo.
|discussion=<p><i>Opuntia fragilis</i> is a widespread, though inconspicuous, species; in many places, it flowers infrequently, if at all. Its easily detached stem segments are dispersed by animals and possibly water.</p>
|tables=
|references=
}}<!--

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-->{{#Taxon:
name=Opuntia fragilis
|author=
|authority=(Nuttall) Haworth
|rank=species
|parent rank=genus
|synonyms=Opuntia brachyarthra;Opuntia fragilis var. brach
|basionyms=Cactus fragilis
|family=Cactaceae
|phenology=Flowering summer (late Jun-early Jul).
|habitat=Barren areas in grasslands, woodlands, sandy or gravelly soils, on outcrops of granite, limestone, or quartzite
|elevation=0-2400 m
|distribution=Alta.;B.C.;Man.;Ont.;Sask.;Ariz.;Calif.;Colo.;Idaho;Ill.;Iowa;Kans.;Mich. ;Minn.;Mont.;Nebr.;N.Mex.;N.Dak.;Okla.;Oreg.;S.Dak.;Tex.;Utah;Wash.;Wis.;Wyo.
|reference=None
|publication title=Suppl. Pl. Succ.,
|publication year=1819
|special status=
|source xml=https://jpend@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-data-curation.git/src/f6b125a955440c0872999024f038d74684f65921/coarse_grained_fna_xml/V4/V4_281.xml
|subfamily=Cactaceae subfam. Opuntioideae
|genus=Opuntia
|species=Opuntia fragilis
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Opuntia]]