Opuntia monacanthos (Willd.) Haw.

Caption:

Details

Name scientific

Opuntia monacanthos (Willd.) Haw., Suppl. Pl. Succ. 81 (1819)

Preferred name

Opuntia monacanthos (Willd.) Haw.

Taxonomy reference

Leuenberger, B.E. 1993: Interpretation and typification of Cactus opuntia L., Opuntia vulgaris Mill., and 0. humifusa (Rafin.) Rafin. (Cactaceae). Taxon 42: 419–429.

Biostatus

Origin

Occurrence

Georegion

Schema

Biostatus source

Comment

Exotic

Wild

New Zealand

Political Region

Healy, A.J. (1959)

Nomenclature

Authors

(Willd.) Haw.

Original authors

Willd.

Combination authors

Haw.

Publication place

Haworth, A.H. 1819: Supplementum Plantarum Succulentarum ... J. Harding, London.

Year published

1819

Publication page

Orthography

monacantha

based on Cactus monacanthos Willd. Haworth 1819 clearly refers to the Willd. taxon “Cactus monacanthos” but changes the ending. The Greek ending "-os"cannot changed to a Latin ending ("-a"). The name Cactus monacanthos Willd. (1814) was cited by Haworth with a question mark after the first pargraph. It is not clear what exactly the "?" refers to, but there is no "?" after the second paragraph referring to the Willdenow description. We accept Cactus monacanthos Willd. as the basionym of Opuntia monacanthos.

Nomenclatural code

ICN

Basionym

Cactus monacanthos Willd.

Taxonomic rank

species

Canonical form

Opuntia monacanthos

Classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Caryophyllales

Family

Cactaceae

Genus

Opuntia

Species

monacanthos

Vernacular names

Language of use: English

Synonyms

Descriptions

Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division DSIR, Christchurch.

Opuntia vulgaris Mill.

Description

Plants to 4-5 m high, often with thick cylindric trunk. Stem segments to c. 30 cm long, often much less, ± ovate to oblong or obovate, flattened; base narrowed. Areoles villous and with brownish glochids; spines 1-2 per areole, 1-4 cm long. Fls on margins of stem segments, 5-9 cm diam. Sepals and petals 3-4 cm long, yellow, with red tinge or median red stripe on outside of outer petals, ovate. Filaments white or greenish. Stigmas c. 5 mm long. Fr. 5-7.5 × 3-4.5 cm, obovoid, reddish purple, fleshy, spineless; apex with large round depression. Pulp pale green or greenish white.