(Picture = Opuntia guatemalensis, Leland Smith)
Introduction
There are many small and large Opuntia species in Central America including O. honduras, O. elatior, and O. guatemalensis.
Description
O. guatemalensis is a low growing, prostrate, spreading prickly pear. Perhaps it is the general size of O. phaeacantha with the same aspect. Cladodes are oval or obovate. The glabrous pads are 10-20 cm long. Areoles are light brown or tan and slightly raised. Spines are white or gray with age, darker at the tip, and present over 2/3 to 3/4 of the pad. There is one large spine per areole and perhaps 1(2) smaller spines. Large spines are moderately deflexed or perpendicular to the pad.
Flowers are yellow or gold and 2-2.5 cm long. Anthers and stigmas are yellow. Stigma lobes spread outwards in a star pattern. Filaments are yellow. Areoles on the pericarple are evenly distributed throughout and fruits may have a stipe-like base.
O. guatemalensis occurs in forests and disturbed area in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Tropicos: Opuntia guatemalensis
