Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris

Illustrated
Synonyms: Opuntia basilaris var. ramosa Opuntia whitneyana
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 144. Mentioned on page 143.

Stem segments erect, flattened, obovate, 7–22 (–35) × 6.5–13.5 (–16) cm; areoles (8–) 10–16 (–19) per diagonal row across midstem segment, circular. Spines absent or very rarely 1–few very short spines per stem segment. Fruits spineless. 2n = 22.


Phenology: Flowering late winter–spring (Feb–Jun).
Habitat: Chaparral, woodlands, desert flats, hills, sandy to rocky soils
Elevation: 300-1700 m

Distribution

V4 275-distribution-map.gif

Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah, n Mexico

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
cushionlike +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
deciduous +  and persistent +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
10 +  and 16 +
acicular +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (?) +
Donald J. Pinkava +
Engelmann & J. M. Bigelow +
proliferating +
flattened +  and cylindric +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Nev. +, Utah +  and n Mexico +
300-1700 m +
salverform +, cup-shaped +  and rotate +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
burlike +  and spiny +
straight +
indehiscent +
persistent +, long +  and deciduous +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
tuberculate +  and smooth +
clavate +  and cylindric ovoid or obovoid +
fleshy +  and juicy or dry +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2.3 cm23 mm <br />0.023 m <br />) +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
foveolate +  and reticulate +
Chaparral, woodlands, desert flats, hills, sandy to rocky soils +
oblong +  and spatulate +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
deciduous +
flattened +  and conic +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
succulent +
tuberculate +
fluted;spheric;depressed-spheric or club-shaped +
tinged color +
open +  and simple +
sometimes covered by outgrowths of proximal portion of style base or of flower tube wall +  and open +
persistent +  and deciduous +
Flowering late winter–spring (Feb–Jun). +
ridgelike +  and nipple--shaped +
Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts +
3;2;2;30 +
tuberlike +
yellowish +  and tan +
0.4mm;12mm +
0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
subspheric +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br />) +
bearing 1-3 depressions +  and smooth +
Illustrated +
not sheathed +
7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br /> (17 cm170 mm <br />0.17 m <br />) +
dark-brown +  and black +
deciduous +  and persistent +
conspicuous +
with hairlike bristles +  and setose +
1 (?) +  and Few (?) +
terete +  and angular-flattened +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br />) +
hard +  and rigid +
decurrent +
winged +  and unsegmented +
tuberculate +  and smooth +
not disarticulating +
22 cm220 mm <br />0.22 m <br /> (35 cm350 mm <br />0.35 m <br />) +
13.5 cm135 mm <br />0.135 m <br /> (16 cm160 mm <br />0.16 m <br />) +
tinged maroon-purple +, blue +  and yellow-green +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (22 cm220 mm <br />0.22 m <br />) +
6.5 cm65 mm <br />0.065 m <br /> (13.5 cm135 mm <br />0.135 m <br />) +
segmented +
woody +  and succulent +
white +  and cream +
white +  and pink +
Opuntia basilaris var. ramosa +  and Opuntia whitneyana +
adventitious +
tuberlike +
epipetric +  and epiphytic +
Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris +
Opuntia basilaris +
variety +
dull +  and glossy +
yellow +  and paler +
segmented +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
terrestrial;epiphytic or epipetric +
erect +  and trailing +
1 (?) +  and 2 (?) +
gray +, white +  and tan +