another tuberous-rooted cactus, genophyte but not a "bulb"

Joe Shaw jshaw@opuntiads.com
Mon, 07 May 2007 05:07:27 PDT
Hi Gang,

I've posted images of an undescribed Opuntia species from north-central New 
Mexico.  Maybe it's just a variation on something already known.  Dave 
Ferguson at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden (Albuquerque, NM) pointed this 
plant out to me; he's my Opuntia guru.

It is a small plant (blooming size plants are 8-18 inches across) with a 
central tap root-like arrangment that becomes an enlarged storage organ 
(turnip like).   It has pretty flowers and it grows fine here in the greater 
Houston, TX area event though it is normally grows at 6,500 or 7,000 ft. 
elevation.  It's not rare but it's a prickly pear and so mostly unloved and 
unnoticed.

Link:  Opuntia "SantaFe"
http://www.opuntiads.com/html/opuntia-santafe.html



Cordially,

Joe
Conroe TX (where spring is unusually long and wonderful this year).


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