Opuntia repens Bello

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Cactaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Opuntia repens Bello

  • 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.

  • Discussion

    Common name: suckers.

  • Distribution

    Common in dry coastal scrub. Drunk Bay (A4135), Southeast Pond (A2907). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; Puerto Rico.

    Puerto Rico South America| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Jamaica South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|