Kingdom Plantae Family Cactaceae Higher classification Cylindropuntia | Order Caryophyllales Genus Cylindropuntia Rank Species | |
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Scientific name Cylindropuntia leptocaulis Similar Cactus, Cylindropuntia, Cylindropuntia spinosior, Cylindropuntia imbricata, Cylindropuntia whipplei | ||
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis, the desert Christmas cactus, desert Christmas cholla, or tasajillo, is a cactus.
Contents
Distribution
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis is widely distributed in deserts, grasslands, chaparral, and woodlands in the Southwestern United States and several states in Northern Mexico.
Description
The shrubby Cylindropuntia leptocaulis plants reach .5 to 1.8 m (1.6 to 5.9 ft) tall, reaching the extreme height when supported within desert trees. Branches are narrow, 3-5 mm across. Spines 0-1 (occasionally as many as 3) at each areole. Flowers open in the late afternoon and are pale yellow or greenish yellow, with occasional red tips.
Around December, the plant grows red berries that when consumed, can have an intoxicating effect.
References
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA