Opuntia Berteri

Description

Cumulopuntia sphaerica is a plant species in the genus Cumulopuntia fromthe cactus family (Cactaceae). The specific epithet sphaerica means 'spherical'. Common names are "Choclo", "Corotilla", "Gatito", "Perrito" and "Puskaye". Cumulopuntia sphaerica forms brittle, prostrate, creeping to semi-erect, moderately branched subshrubs. The spherical, hardly or not humped shoot sections are 2.5 to 6 centimeters long. The 25 to 80 or more areoles are distributed over the shoot section. They are 3 to 6 millimeters in diameter, protruding and close together. Two to 15 variable, strong, protruding, straight or occasionally curved, unequal, reddish spines arise from most areoles, which become lighter with age. They are up to 4 centimeters long and sometimes reduced to a few, short bristles. The yellow to orange flowers reach lengths of up to 4 centimeters. The broad and flat pericarpel is spined at the edge and near it. The spherical fruits have some thorns. Cumulopuntia sphaerica is distributed from sea level to 3500 meters in the Peruvian regions of Lima, Ica, Ayacucho and Arequipa. The distribution area extends to southern and central Chile. The first description as Opuntia sphaerica was in 1816 by Carl Friedrich Förster. Edward Frederick Anderson placed the species in the genus Cumulopuntia in 1999. Other nomenclatural synonyms are Tephrocactus sphaericus (CFFörst.) Backeb. (1936), Austrocylindropuntia sphaerica (CFFörst.) GDRowley (2006) and Sphaeropuntia sphaerica (CFFörst.) Guiggi (2012). In the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the species is classified as "Least Concern (LC)''. H. listed as not endangered. The species is considered invasive and populations will increase.