Opuntia (genus)
2 Prickly Pears at O'Malley, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Opuntia (genus) | 15 Feb 2021 | MichaelMulvaney | ||
| Opuntia elatior | 30 Jul 2020 | MichaelMulvaney | ||
| Opuntia (genus) | 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.
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.
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.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.109510-35.350831
- Altitude 658.0m
- Maps Scrivener Hill
- Places O'Malley, ACT
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- 29 Jul 2020 06:27 PM Recorded on
- Mike Recorded by
Collections
Species information
- Opuntia (genus) Scientific name
- Prickly Pears Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Exotic
- Medium weed or pest
- Up to 786m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Seasonal activity
-
Was the plant in flower?
JFMAMJJASOND
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Additional attributes