Grizzly Bear Cactus (Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea)

Grizzly Bear Cactus
Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea

Denver Botanic Gardens 07/21/2009.

plutodrive,
This is Opuntia polyacantha, but it is also the nicholii variety, for which there is a separate entry page for.
Located here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/83693/

Xeno.

Thank you for catching that Xeno. Now how do I get this photo changed to the correct entry? Do I need to report an error?

Yes.

Thanks!

The photo has been moved. Thanks!

I have been studying the O. polyacantha group and I am getting a good concept of what is what. This defiantly not O. polyacantha var. nicholii (mislabeled), but is in fact O. polyacantha var. erinacea or, I am leaning toward O. polyacantha var. hystricina, it is hard to tell without a size reference and the exact collection site.


Marc

Marc,
Look at the base of each plant and notice the spines are "flexible" and very long (up to 7").
Spines like those are Not on var erinacea, nor are they on var. histricina.
The "Longer" and "Flexible"/"Bendable" spines are only on the nichollii variety.

Xeno.

This message was edited Feb 8, 2011 11:51 PM

The long spines at the base is incorect, only O. polyacantha var. erinacea has them and the spines on the uper pads are "way" too thin and too many areoles. Most people who have nicholii no not have it and have never seen the real thing, it ia very different then any of the pictures posted. The true nicholii is a very strong traling plant not up-right at all.


Marc

I am going by the description in Andersn's 2001 book "The Cactus Family"
The nichollii I have starts out with the 1 or 2 new pads upright or leaning over-upright, then when it's developed some more, it flops over and is trailing.
Var erinacea basal spines never get that long or flexible, they stay more stiff.

I will get a photo tomorrow of my same nichollii, which is a few years older so that you can see it is trailing.

Xeno.

Opuntia nicholii

Quote-1:
Spines conspicuous, growing from all areoles, "those of the lower ones sometimes shorter", al the spines white or very pale gray, often reddish before maturity, about 4 to 7 per areole, turned downward,sometimes flexilbe, markedly twisting and curving in various directions, "the longer ones" (in upper areoles) 3 to 5 inches long.

Quote-2:
Areoles 2 cm apart, spines 4 to 7 in every areole, "the longer ones" (in the upper part of the sagment), much flattened, flexible often reddish at frist, then white or gray.

Opuntia nicholii, the longer spines are not on the lower part of the plant, this is only in Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea.


Marc

Marc,
Where are these quotes from?

I have found some descriptions from 1998, online (links provided):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Var. nichollii
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242415226

Spines in most areoles, of 2 kinds: major spines 1-5 per areole, down curved, ascending near stem segment apex, pink-gray or basal 2/3 brown to black, the longest 45-150 mm (5.9 inches); minor spines 3-8 per areole, deflexed, white to gray, 60-220 cm (spine clusters easily detached in preparing specimens).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Var. erinacea
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242415228

Spines 1-18 per areole, in essentially all areoles, grading in size and orientation, yellow to dark brown, turning gray, pink-gray, or gray-brown, the longest spreading and curling in all directions especially on proximal stem segments, usually ascending and ± straight near stem segment apex, deflexed to reflexed near base, (35-)40-90(-185) mm (7.3 inches), spines of older stem segments more numerous, less straight, and reflexed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anderson in "The cactus Family" doesn't give as much of a detailed description of the two varieties. Here it is:

Var. erinacea:
Spines to 3.9 inches long

var. hystricina:
Spines to 3.9 inches long

var. nichollii:
spines to 4.9 inches long

So you can see why one would think that var. nichollii has the longest spines of the three varieties.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But in comparing the descriptions that I have put in bold letters at the top, it appears that var. erinacea has the longer spines of the two varieties.

That means most if not all of the photos on the Var. erinacea Plant Files page need to be swapped with the photos on the Var. nichollii page.

Thanks, and good work catching this.

Xeno.

Thank you for listing to me.

I got the quotes from, "The Cactus of Arizona" (Benson), 1968, and "Cactus Lexicon" (Backeberg), 1977, and About 30 herbarium specimens from the University of Phoenix, overseen by Dr. Pinkavea.


Marc

What I needed was some more back-up verification & proof presented.
As usually nothing is ever supposed to be taken personal, it's a scientific process.
That's the way I choose to look at it.
Xeno.