Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Caryophyllales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Opuntia mesacantha ssp. lata
FAMILY
Cactaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Learn more from Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Opuntia humifusa
FAMILY
Cactaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Opuntia mesacantha ssp. lata
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Opuntia humifusa
INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 4 (2003)
Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 132-01-001?:
Opuntia compressa FAMILY Cactaceae
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Opuntia impedita
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Opuntia lata
COMMON NAME:
Southern Prickly-pear
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_ophu_001_lvd
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Opuntia mesacantha ssp. lata
FAMILY
Cactaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Opuntia humifusa
FAMILY
Cactaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Opuntia mesacantha ssp. lata
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Opuntia humifusa
INCLUDED WITHIN
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 4
Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 132-01-001?:
Opuntia compressa
FAMILY
Cactaceae
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Opuntia impedita
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Opuntia lata
4866
Shrub
Perennial
Habitat: Coastal dunes and scrub, sandhills, borders of pine flatwoods, scrub, coastal islands (FL, GA, SC), riverine sands, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in GA, uncommon in SC, rare in NC
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Cladodes armed with glochids (hair-like spines or short prickles) & stout spines
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Yellow
Radially symmetrical
Numerous tepals (usually)
Numerous stamens (usually)
Inferior ovary
Bisexual or sometimes functionally staminate
FRUIT:
Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall
Purple/ Reddish-brown
Berry
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p494
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p202
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