Opuntia polycarpa

Small, Manual of the Southeastern Flora 906, 1933

Isotype; Herbarium; Herbarium

See O. ammophila

See O. austrina

Original Description

What is Opuntia polycarpa?

Opuntia polycarpa is a prickly pear cactus that grew in large colonies in the early 20th Century, but the species is much less common now. 

Details

Opuntia polycarpa is a smallish but upright prickly pear cactus to 1 m that forms multiple branches (bush-like). The pads are generally elliptic or rhomboid-elliptic and may be twisted. They are 10 to 40 cm long and bright green. The areoles may be strongly bristly and carry 1(3) spines. Spines in this prickly pear cactus are slender, pale-yellow, and dark-yellow or salmon at the base. When mature, spines may be brown and 2 to 3 cm long.

Flowers are bright yellow and 6 to 7 cm wide. Anthers are 2.5 to 3 cm long. The bright-red or purplish fruit is ellipsoid-obovoid and 4 to 5 cm long. The umbilicus of this Opuntia is flattish but may have a slight dimple at the center. Seeds are numerous and about 6 mm in diameter with a wide margin.

Ploidy is unknown. 

Other Notes

This prickly pear cactus typically grows in sandy or deep soils. 

Overall, this Florida taxon is similar to O. austrina and O. ammophila, and the three have been proposed to comprise a single taxon.