View source for Opuntia polyacantha

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Opuntia polyacantha
|accepted_authority=Haworth
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Suppl. Pl. Succ.,
|place=82. 1819
|year=1819
}}
|common_names=Starvation pricklypear
|special_status={{Treatment/ID/Special_status
|code=F
|label=Illustrated
}}
|basionyms={{Treatment/ID/Basionym
|name=Cactus ferox
|authority=Nuttall
|rank=species
|publication_title=Gen. N. Amer. Pl.
|publication_place=1: 296. 1818,
}}
|synonyms={{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Tunas polyacantha
|authority=(Haworth) Nieuwland & Lunell
|rank=species
}}
|hierarchy=Cactaceae;Cactaceae subfam. Opuntioideae;Opuntia;Opuntia polyacantha
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Cactaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>subfamily</small>[[Cactaceae subfam. Opuntioideae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Opuntia]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>species</small>[[Opuntia polyacantha]]</div></div>
|volume=Volume 4
|mention_page=page 124, 125, 132, 133
|treatment_page=
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-undefined" data-properties=""><b>Shrubs,</b> low, 10–25 cm, with ± prostrate branches. <b>Stem</b> segments not easily detached, green, elliptic to narrowly to broadly obovate to circular, 4–27 × 2–18 cm, low tuberculate; areoles 4–14 per diagonal row across midstem segment, subcircular, 3–6 mm; wool tan to brown. <b>Spines</b> at all or only distal areoles of stem segment, terete to flattened, stout to acicular to bristlelike, straight to curling, of 1 or 2 kinds; if 1 kind: 0–18 per areole, spreading and curling in various directions, sometimes straight, erect, ascending to deflexed, yellow to dark brown to black, turning gray, pink-gray to gray-brown, longest (35–)40–90(–185) mm; if ± 2 kinds: major spines (0–)1–5, reflexed to porrect, yellow-brown to brown to gray, longest 20–150 mm; minor spines (0–)5–11, deflexed, white to white-gray, longest 4–16 mm. <b>Glochids</b> inconspicuous, in narrow, tidy crescent at adaxial edge of areole or in broad, brushy crescent and tuft, yellow to reddish, aging brown, to 10 mm. <b>Flowers</b>: inner tepals yellow to magenta throughout, 25–40 mm; filaments white, yellow, or red to magenta (flowers may superficially appear bicolored); anthers yellow; style white to pale pink; stigma lobes green. <b>Fruits</b> tan to brown, ± cylindric, 15–45 × 12–25 mm, dry at maturity, glabrous, sometimes burlike; areoles 10–33, each or only distal areoles bearing 3–16 spines, 4–20 mm. <b>Seeds</b> tan to gray, flattened, warped, oblong to subcircular, 3–7 × 2–4 mm; girdle protruding 1–2 mm.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=Alta.;Sask.;Ariz.;Calif.;Colo.;Idaho;Kans.;Mont.;N.Dak.;N.Mex.;Nebr.;Nev.;Okla.;S.Dak.;Tex.;Utah;Wyo.;n Mexico.
|discussion=<p>Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).</p><!--
--><p>Populations of <i>Opuntia polyacantha</i> with spines few or absent (especially <i></i>var.<i> hystricina</i>) were the basis for several names including O. juniperina, O. utahensis, and O. rhodantha.</p>
|tables=
|references=
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Areoles 4-6 per diagonal row across midstem segment; stem segments 4-7 × 2-3(-5) cm, elliptic to very narrowly obovate; Texas, New Mexico, Mexico
|[[Opuntia polyacantha var. arenaria|Opuntia polyacantha var. arenaria]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Areoles 6-14 per diagonal row across midstem segment; stem segments 6-27 × 5-18 cm, obovate to circular or, if elliptic, longer than 9 cm; widespread in w United States and Canada
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Spines of 2 kinds: major spines 1-3 per areole, usually deflexed on terminal stem segment, but sometimes ascending at stem segment apex; minor spines 1-3 per areole, deflexed, white, subtending major spines
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Spines of 1 kind, grading in length, from ascending to deflexed, 7-18 per areole, longest spines of terminal stem segment porrect to ascending, shorter spines deflexed to porrect
|[[#key-0-4| > 4]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Longest spines 2-4 cm; areoles 6-13 mm apart; stem segments 6-12 cm; Great Plains, n and e Great Basin Desert
|[[Opuntia polyacantha var. polyacantha|Opuntia polyacantha var. polyacantha]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Longest spines 4.5-12 cm; areoles 12-30 mm apart; stem segments 10-27 cm; Arizona and Utah border
|[[Opuntia polyacantha var. nicholii|Opuntia polyacantha var. nicholii]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Spines usually dark brown, those of proximal stem segments like those of terminal stem segments, porrect to ascending, straight and stiff; fruit areoles 11-21, spiny but not burlike
|[[Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina|Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Spines usually pale, those of proximal stem segments not like those of terminals stem segments, more numerous, longer and more reflexed, straight or flexuous and/or hairlike or threadlike; fruit areoles 20-33, spiny, forming dense bur
|[[Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea|Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Opuntia polyacantha
|authority=Haworth
|rank=species
|parent rank=genus
|synonyms=Tunas polyacantha
|basionyms=Cactus ferox
|family=Cactaceae
|distribution=Alta.;Sask.;Ariz.;Calif.;Colo.;Idaho;Kans.;Mont.;N.Dak.;N.Mex.;Nebr.;Nev.;Okla.;S.Dak.;Tex.;Utah;Wyo.;n Mexico.
|reference=None
|publication title=Suppl. Pl. Succ.,
|publication year=1819
|special status=Illustrated
|source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-data-curation.git/src/bb6b7e3a7de7d3b7888a1ad48c7fd8f5c722d8d6/coarse_grained_fna_xml/V4/V4_283.xml
|subfamily=Cactaceae subfam. Opuntioideae
|genus=Opuntia
|species=Opuntia polyacantha
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Opuntia]]