Opuntia azurea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Opuntia
Species:
O. azurea
Binomial name
Opuntia azurea
Rose
Close up on a flower of Opuntia azurea in Majorelle's garden.
Opuntia azurea in Majorelle's garden.

Opuntia azurea, the purple prickly pear or coyotillo, is a long-spined prickly pear that is native to a variety of habitats, including desert, mountain grasslands, and slopes in the Big Bend region of Texas and in the states of Coahuila, Chihuahua, Durango, and Zacatecas in Mexico.[1] It flowers from March to May, with bright yellow flowers with red centres which produce red/purple fruits.[2] Opuntia azurea forms sprawling clusters, two to three feet high.[3]

Its subspecies may include:[4]

  • O. azurea aureispina
  • O. azurea discolor
  • O. azurea azurea
  • O. azurea diplopurpurea
  • O. azurea parva.
  • O. azurea arueispina

However, instead of subspecies, five varieties have been described and ssp. "arueispina" is not recognized.

  • O. aureispina
  • O. azurea
  • O. discolor
  • O. diplopurpurea, and
  • O. parva.[5]


References

  1. Rose, Joseph. "Contributions from the United States National Herbarium" (PDF). Opuntia Web. Joseph Shaw. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  2. A. Michael Powell; James F. Weedin (15 November 2004). Cacti of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas. Texas Tech University Press. pp. 130–141. ISBN 978-0-89672-531-7. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  3. The American South West
  4. Texas Cacti: Purple Prickly Pear
  5. Ferguson, David. "Opuntia azurea". Opuntia Web. Joseph Shaw. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
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