Opuntia rufida

Blind Cactus at Bruce, ACT

Opuntia rufida at Bruce, ACT - 25 Aug 2019
Opuntia rufida at Bruce, ACT - 25 Aug 2019
Opuntia rufida at Bruce, ACT - 25 Aug 2019
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Identification history

Opuntia rufida 2 Dec 2019 MichaelMulvaney
Opuntia elata 23 Nov 2019 AlisonMilton

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User's notes

Not sure whether to call this one plant or multiple. Growing right down the slope.

2 comments

   3 Dec 2019
Although it keys out as Opuntia elate on Plantnet - the lack of spines and finely and regularly spaced pits and teh reddish colour of teh hairs suggests blind cactus, so named as the fine easily separated hairs can blind cattle. This looks like a planted specimen - what were they thinking?
AlisonMilton wrote:
   3 Dec 2019
I'd say it was planted also. Not the first time I've seen similar plants deliberately planted outside of a suburban yard. I dug up all the ones I found along the verge of Kingsford-Smith Drive in Hawker some years ago.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 4 - 15 Abundance
  • 25 Aug 2019 02:16 PM Recorded on
  • AlisonMilton Recorded by

Additional information

  • 30cm to 1 metre Plant height

Species information

  • Opuntia rufida Scientific name
  • Blind Cactus Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Exotic
  • Noxious or High Risk Weed or Pest
  • 598.06m to 604.6m Recorded at altitude
  • Machine learning
  • External link More information

Record quality

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  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
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  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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