Cylindropuntia kleiniae (DC.) F.M.Knuth APNI* Synonyms: Opuntia kleiniae DC. APNI*
Description: Shrubs scraggly, openly branched, 0.5–2.5 m high.
Stem segments usually alternate, green, 4–20 cm long, 0.6–1.2 cm wide; tubercles obvious, 1–2.5 cm long; areoles subcircular to oval, 2.5–3.5 mm long, 2–3 mm wide; wool yellow, aging gray to black. Spines rarely absent, 1 or 2(-4) per areole, at most areoles, straight to slightly arched, commonly deflexed, not obscuring stem, yellow to gray, tipped yellow, acicular, the longest 1–3 cm long. Glochids in adaxial tuft, yellow, 0.5–2.5 mm long.
Flowers: inner tepals greenish basally to reddish bronze, tinged magenta apically, spatulate-apiculate, 15–25 mm long; filaments greenish basally to bronze distally; anthers yellow; style greenish bronze; stigma lobes cream-coloured.
Fruits green becoming red, obovoid to cylindric, 13–34 mm wide, 10–20 mm long, fleshy, low tuberculate to smooth, spineless; tubercles subequal; umbilicus 3–6 mm deep; areoles 16–28. Seeds tan, squarish to oval, 4–5 × 3.5–4 mm long, warped, sides smooth to lumpy; girdle broad, low-ridged.
Flowering: Flowers spring to summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Introduced to North Western Plains; native of southern America and Mexico. Occurs in disturbed shrublands or Eucalyptus woodland, often in ironstone- and quartz-rich: grey clay to red sandy soils.
NSW subdivisions: *NWP
Text by B.J. Conn (2004)
Taxon concept: D.J. Pinkava (2004)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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