Opuntia stricta

Common Prickly Pear at Hackett, ACT

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Identification history

	Opuntia stricta	13 May 2016	MichaelMulvaney
	Opuntia stricta	12 May 2016	waltraud

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User's notes

One plant >1m, 2 plants <0.3m. I've found Opuntia growing east of Mackenzie Street, Kellaway St (Hackett) and Duffy St (Ainslie), some close to backyards some in more remote sites. In one case clearly the result of dumping, in one other case clearly the result of planting (yes!). However these reported specimen as well as several others were most likely not planted or dumped given the location. Would anyone know how Opuntia is spread by means other than dumping/planting? BTW I dug out all and deposited in my rubbish bin.

4 comments

Mike wrote:

13 May 2016

Waltraud, Opuntia is spread by fruit or fragments and I find it in areas remote from houses or obvious dump spots, as well as near houses. There is Opuntia ficus indica spreading from a property backing on to Scrivebner Hill and being planted there. Some plants dug out and not collected have taken root again. Opuntia stricta is in unlikely areas of Isaacs Ridge. Opuntia puberula is a.so on Isaacs Ridge but well away from tracks so it could have started from fruit or seed..

waltraud wrote:

13 May 2016

thanks Mike
would you have an idea who eats the fruits (other than humans)?

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

14 May 2016

In Africa Opuntia is dispersed by baboons and elephants - which are strangely missing from Mt Majura, but there are also records of it being dispersed by cows, goats, wild boars, foxes and birds - not sure what birds eat fruit but I suspect the Currawong,

Mike wrote:

14 May 2016

Crows and magpies are also listed as culprits in Queensland.

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Location information

Coordinates 149.170833 -35.255000
Altitude 678.0m
Places Hackett, ACT

Sighting information

3 Abundance
12 May 2016 05:28 PM Recorded on
waltraud Recorded by
Collections
waltraud Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Cacti & Succulents Plants

Species information

Opuntia stricta Scientific name
Common Prickly Pear Common name
Not Sensitive
Exotic
Medium weed or pest
Up to 790.6m Recorded at altitude
57 images trained Machine learning
In flower
External link More information

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Nearby sighting(s) of same species
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