Click on images to enlarge
habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
habit (Photo: Ros Shepherd)
cylindrical stem segments (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
stem segments and flowers (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
flower and immature fruit (Photo: Ros Shepherd)
close-up of flower buds and spiny stems (Photo: Ros Shepherd)
Scientific Name
Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica (Lam.) Backeb.
Synonyms
Cactus cylindricus Lam.Opuntia cylindrica (Lam.) DC.
Family
Cactaceae
Common Names
cane cactus, coral cactus
Origin
Native to parts of western South America (i.e. Ecuador and Peru).
Naturalised Distribution
Naturalised in some inland parts of south-eastern Australia (i.e. in inland central New South Wales, in some inland parts of South Australia and in central and western Victoria).
Notes
This species has escaped cultivation and become a minor environmental weed in the drier parts of south-eastern Australia. It is a potential weed of grasslands, shrublands and open woodlands, particularly in semi-arid regions. Coral cactus (Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica) was recently listed as a priority environmental weed one Natural Resource Management region, though this may have been through confusion with another species (see note below).
Note: Boxing glove cactus (Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata) has often been confused with this species, particularly in western Queensland where it is also known as "coral cactus", but also in Western Australia. However, coral cactus (Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica) is not known to be naturalised in these states.
Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved. Identic Pty Ltd.
|
The mobile application of Environmental Weeds of Australia is available from the Google Play Store and Apple iTunes. |
|
