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Opuntia ficus-indica

(L.) Mill. (1768)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-CoreEudicot Order: Caryophyllales Family: Cactaceae Genus: Opuntia

pānini [panini], papipi, prickly pear, prickly pear cactus

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Highly specialized, usually succulent trees 3–5 m tall, with a definite trunk, usually spiny, the spines variable in number, size, arrangement, and color, produced from specialized axillary structures (areoles).

Stems: Joints dull green or gray when freesh, broadly obovate, 25–60 cm long, 20–40 cm wide, margins more or less entire. areoles spineless or with 1–6 white or yellowish spines 1–3 cm long.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves reduced, caducous. Blades subulate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers solitary. Flowers usually bisexual (perfect), diurnal, 5–7 cm in diameter, very rarely unisexual, actinomorphic or occasionally zygomorphic. Outer perianth parts yellow with a green or reddish median stripe, 10–20 mm long, 15–20 mm wide, inner perianth parts yellowish to orangish yellow, rotate, 25–30 mm long, 15–20 mm wide, distinct, gradually grading from sepaloid to petaloid, usually not sharply differentiated into 2 series; receptacle tube very short, naked or with scales and areoles bearing hairs, bristles, or spines. Stamens numerous, inserted in the throat of the receptacle tube, staminal filaments yellow. Ovary inferior, with areoles bearing hairs, glochids, and often spines; style greenish, ca. 15 mm long; stigma lobes 8–10.

Fruit: Berries greenish white to yellow; yellowish brown; or reddish purple; depending on the strain; fleshy; barrel–shaped; 5–10 cm long; 4–9 cm in diameter; indehiscent. Seeds numerous; white to brown; flattened; enclosed in a hard; bony aril.

Ploidy: 2n = 22; 33; 44; 66; 88

Habitat: Naturalized in dry; disturbed habitats.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Kaho'olawe Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Gard. Dict. ed. 8: n.º 2 (1768)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:419 (K, O, M, Ka, H); Hughes 1995:2 (Mo); Oppenheimer & Bartlett 2002:5 (L); Staples & Herbst 2005:210 (KEY), 216 (DESCR); Wood & LeGrande 2006:22 (Le? [reported but unvouchered by Caum in 1936])

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. honolulu, valley below kamehameha schools PRESERVED_SPECIMEN lee, c. berrington, j. Oahu BISH 1/30/1952
2 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Keomuku Road Growing in Dodonaea shrubland. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Oppenheimer, H.L. Collector Number: H109914 Lanai BISH 10/24/1999
3 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, Kipuka at the head of the trail towards Pohaku Paea from the midstop along Makena-Keoneoio road Pockets of vegetation in a'a lava and at roadside. On small plant in the kipuka. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Abbott, I.A. 91.68 Maui BISH 3/6/1991
4 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. waimea, w. side of waimea canyon just e. of canyon drive, at ~ 3 miles n of waimea secondary vegetation of Leucaena leucocephala. Dry rocky slopes PRESERVED_SPECIMEN lorence, d.h. collector number: 5237 Kauai BISH 5/15/1987
5 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Honolulu, valley below Kamehameha Schools PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Lee, C. s.n. Oahu BISH 1/30/1952
6 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. makapu'u point state wayside, road to makapu'u point Disturbed coastal dry mixed community PRESERVED_SPECIMEN c. r. annable 3122 NY 11/7/1996
7 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. makolelau Scattered on dry slopes. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN hughes, g.d. collector number: s.n. Molokai BISH 3/14/1992
8 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN j. lau 1136 Maui US 6/24/1985
9 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Honolulu, Punchbowl. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Joel Lau 1136 Oahu PTBG 6/24/1985
10 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Oahu Island, Kipapa gulch ? PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Vladimir J. Krajina 620205211 UBC 2/6/1962
11 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN m. bruegmann 136 Oahu US 1/17/1984
12 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. North Kohala, Acacia koaja sanctuary, off N Kohala Rd., 5 mi NW of Waimea, at Waiakamali Gulch PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Wagner, W.L. 5569 Hawaii BISH 6/24/1985
13 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Honolulu, Punchbowl PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Lau, J. 1136 Oahu BISH 6/24/1985
14 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. makolelau dry slopes PRESERVED_SPECIMEN hughes, g.d. Molokai BISH 3/14/1992
15 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Western side of Waimea Canyon just E . of Waimea Canyon Drive, at ca. 3 miles N. of Waimea. Secondary vegetation of Leucaena leucocephala and Opuntia ficus-indica. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN David H. Lorence 5237 Kauai PTBG 5/15/1987
16 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. north kohala, acacia koaja sanctuary, off n kohala rd., 5 mi nw of waimea, at waiakamali gulch PRESERVED_SPECIMEN wagner, w.l. et al. collector number: 5569 Hawaii BISH 6/24/1985
17 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. punchbowl st., near prospect and pele sts., honolulu PRESERVED_SPECIMEN westgate, j.m. Oahu BISH 7/30/1932
18 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Keomuku Road Growing in Dodonaea shrubland. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Oppenheimer, H.L. H109914 Lanai BISH 10/24/1999
19 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Volcanoes National Park, Ainahou Ranch area, Poliokeawe Pali PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Kageler, D. 1986-2 Hawaii BISH 9/1/1985
20 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. volcanoes national park, ainahou ranch area, poliokeawe pali PRESERVED_SPECIMEN kageler, d. cuddihy, l.w. collector number: 1986-2 Hawaii BISH 9/1/1985
21 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Punchbowl St., near Prospect and Pele Sts., Honolulu PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Westgate, J.M. s.n. Oahu BISH 7/30/1932
22 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. keomuku road PRESERVED_SPECIMEN oppenheimer, h.l. collector number: h109914 BISH 10/24/1999
23 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. honolulu, punchbowl PRESERVED_SPECIMEN lau, j. collector number: 1136 Kauai BISH 6/24/1985
24 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Honolulu, Punchbowl, near Prospect and Pele Sts. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN St. John, H. 12069 Oahu BISH 7/30/1932
25 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Honolulu, US. Experiment Station PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Westgate, J.M. s.n. Oahu BISH 7/30/1932
26 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. ahihi-kinau natural area reserve, kipuka at the head of the trail towards pohaku paea from the midstop along makena-keoneoio road Pockets of vegetation in a'a lava and at roadside. On small plant in the kipuka. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN abbott, i.a. norris, f.m. collector number: 91.68 Maui BISH 3/6/1991
27 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Makolelau Aalii shrublands. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Hughes, G.D. 37 Molokai BISH 3/14/1992
28 Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Waimea, W. side of Waimea Canyon just E. of Canyon Drive, at ~ 3 miles N of Waimea secondary vegetation of Leucaena leucocephala. Dry rocky slopes PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Lorence, D.H. 5237 Kauai BISH 5/15/1987
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