Cylindropuntia
| Cholla | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cylindropuntia kleiniae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Opuntioideae |
| Tribe: | Cylindropuntieae |
| Genus: | Cylindropuntia (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth |
| Species | |
|
Numerous, see text | |
Cylindropuntia is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing the cholla, native to northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. They are known for their barbed spines that tenaciously attach to skin, fur, and clothing.
Stands of cholla are called cholla gardens. Individuals within these colonies often exhibit the same DNA as they were formerly tubercles of an original plant.
Classification
Cylindropuntia was formerly treated as a subgenus of Opuntia, but have now been separated based on their cylindrical stems (Opuntia species have flattened stems) and the presence of papery epidermal sheaths on the spines (Opuntia has no sheaths).[1] A few species of mat- or clump-forming opuntioid cacti are currently placed in the genus Grusonia. Collectively, opuntias, chollas, and related plants are sometimes called opuntiads. [2]
The roughly 35 species of Cylindropuntia are native to the southwest and southcentral United States, Mexico, and the West Indies. The Flora of North America recognizes 22 species. Some species have been introduced to South America (Chile, Ecuador, Peru) and South Africa.[3]
Selected species
- Cylindropuntia abyssi - Peach Springs cholla
- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa - buckhorn cholla
- Cylindropuntia alcahes - clavellina cholla
- Cylindropuntia arbuscula - Arizona pencil cholla
- Cylindropuntia bigelovii - teddy-bear cholla
- Cylindropuntia californica - California cholla, snake cholla, cane cholla
- Cylindropuntia caribaea
- Cylindropuntia cholla - chain-link cholla
- Cylindropuntia cylindrica - cane cactus
- Cylindropuntia echinocarpa - silver cholla, golden cholla, Wiggins' cholla
- Cylindropuntia fulgida - jumping cholla or hanging chain cholla
- Cylindropuntia imbricata - cane cholla, walking stick cholla, tree cholla
- Cylindropuntia kelvinensis
- Cylindropuntia kleiniae
- Cylindropuntia leptocaulis - desert Christmas cholla, tasajillo
- Cylindropuntia mortolensis
- Cylindropuntia molesta - agujilla
- Cylindropuntia munzii
- Cylindropuntia prolifera - coastal cholla
- Cylindropuntia ramosissima - branched pencil cholla, diamond cholla
- Cylindropuntia rosea (dubious species) - rosea cholla, Hudson pear
- Cylindropuntia schottii - dog cholla
- Cylindropuntia spinosior - tasajo cholla
- Cylindropuntia stanlyi - devil cholla
- Cylindropuntia tunicata (dubious species) - rosea cholla, Hudson pear
- Cylindropuntia × tetracantha
- Cylindropuntia versicolor - staghorn cholla
- Cylindropuntia × vivipara
- Cylindropuntia whipplei - rat-tail cholla [4]
- Cylindropuntia wolfii
References
- ↑ Pinkava, D. J. 1999. Cactaceae cactus family: Part 3. Cylindropuntia… J. Arizona-Nevada Acad. Sci. 32: 32-47.
- ↑ http://www.opuntiads.com/cyl
- ↑ Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 16+ vols. New York and Oxford.
- ↑
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cylindropuntia. |