Opuntia repens Bello
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Cactaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Erect or decumbent shrub to 50 cm tall, forming dense clumps, to a few meters wide. Joints oblong or linear, 5-15 cm long, flattened; areoles ca. 5 mm apart, with whitish, minute, woolly fibers, and deciduous, light yellow glochids; spines 6-8 per areole, thin, acicular, pinkish when young, then turning brown and finally fading gray, 1.5-4.5 cm long. Flowers 4 cm wide; receptacle usually with spines. Perianth bright yellow, spreading, broad, obtuse; stamens shorter than petals. Fruit red, 2-3 cm long, pearshaped, few-seeded.
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Discussion
Common name: suckers.
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Distribution
Common in dry coastal scrub. Drunk Bay (A4135), Southeast Pond (A2907). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; Puerto Rico.
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