Opuntia sp.

2 Prickly Pear at O'Malley, ACT

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Identification history

Opuntia sp.	15 Feb 2021	MichaelMulvaney
Opuntia elatior	30 Jul 2020	MichaelMulvaney
Opuntia sp.	30 Jul 2020	Mike

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User's notes

This seems to be the only one with large spines.

8 comments

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

30 Jul 2020

Mike I will get a second opinion on this one - it is a pretty invasive prickly pear and not one we have had recorded in the ACT before.

Mike wrote:

30 Jul 2020

I was once told that to identify the cacti on Scrivener Hill I should wait until they flowered. Local residents are planting O. ficus-indica but I don't know how this got here. By the way spelling is O. elatior.

Mike wrote:

30 Jul 2020

Location looks a bit out. I think it is closer to the Libyan Embassy and nearer the track.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

31 Jul 2020

Mike, Harley Baker one of our weed ecologists, got back to me and said, from the photo I would say I haven’t seen this one around before. I think O.eliator looks to be a likely suspect but from what I can see online most photos of it show O.eliator as having fewer more spaced out areoles than the photo on CNM. This would be a good one to take a sample of to the National Herbarium for an accurate ID"
Are you able to take one of the cactus segments and drop off to Dave Albrecht at the Herbarium? Can you leave the plant alive until ID has been confirmed, in case Dave needs a flower. No worriesif getting to the Her barium is a hassle, Harley has offered to do it if need be.

Mike wrote:

2 Aug 2020

I have found another plant nearby that can spare a segment. Blades are about 25 cm with 4 cm spines. I have added photo to iNaturalist for their cactus experts. Some nearby O. ficus-indica that has been ripped out has 1 cm spines on fresh growth.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

3 Aug 2020

Thanks Mike - CSIRO Herbarium will appreciate the specimen

Mike wrote:

3 Aug 2020

iNaturalist has suggested Opuntia elata or "Could be the spiny form of Opuntia ficus-indica. See this link: https://www.opuntiads.com/opuntia-ficus-indica/". The link has similar images of "Opuntia ficus-indica, reverting to O. streptacantha look" so that might be in the genes.

Mike wrote:

15 Feb 2021

With everything else going on I had forgotten to get a herbarium specimen. It is probably still there.

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