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Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii


Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Opuntia verschaffeltii, Cylindropuntia verschaffeltii, Maihueniopsis verschaffeltii, Opuntia hypsophila, Austrocylindropuntia hyposphila, Cylindropuntia haematacantha, Opuntia posnanskyana, Austrocylindropuntia steiniana, Opuntia steiniana, Austrocylindropuntia inarmata, Tephrocactus verschaffeltii, Austrocylindropuntia haematacantha
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Subfamily: Opuntioideae
Tribe:
Distribution: Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta - Argentina : La Paz, Oruro, Potosi - Bolivia : Antofagasta - Chile (South America)
Habit: Shrubby
Flower: Orange, RedEncounterability: Common Locally in Some Areas
Species Notes: Comment from Dave Ferguson -Associate Curator, Rio Grande Botanic Garden:
Also, this is more of an opinion/nomenclatural comment. "Austrocylindropuntia vershaffeltii" and "Maihueniopsis nigrispina" should be grouped together in the same genus. Regardless of what genus is used, they are closely related (same basic structure, flowers, fruits, seeds, etc.), and differ primarily in coloration and degrees of spine development. I think molecular studies have put them together now too (??). I'm not sure if they are even different species at all; I suspect they should be treated as just subspecies. Anyway, getting back to the genus, I think the latest trend, based on molecules, is to put them into Tephrocactus (to which they are probably most closely related). However, they are really distinctive, and when included in Tephrocactus, they stretch the definition of that genus to beyond what makes sense. Even though I can't stand the name, I like the idea of a separate genus (Pseudomaihueniopsis) for them; though the "genus" may include only one biological species (assuming the two "species" really are one). They are interesting things, perhaps among the most "ancestral" of the Austrocylindropuntia / Tephrocactus "clade"??? They share traits with a number of other related genera.
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Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Huntington Library and Gardens, San Marino, CA

Photographer: Daiv Freeman
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: SDCSS 2008 Sale at Balboa Park in San Diego

Photographer: Daiv Freeman
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Habitat in Argentina

Photographer: Horacio de la Fuente
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Private Collection

Photographer: Joel Lode

Photographer's Website: Click Here
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Habitat in Argentina

Photographer: Fernando Salvatierrra
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Habitat in Argentina

Photographer: Fernando Salvatierrra
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Habitat in Argentina

Photographer: Craig Howe
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Habitat in Argentina

Photographer: Craig Howe
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
A. verschaffeltii
Picture taken at: Habitat in Argentina

Photographer: Craig Howe
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