XOpuntia polyacantha - Plains PricklypearX
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Plains Pricklypear -or- Hairspine Cactus -or- Panhandle Pricklypear -or- Starvation Pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha), family Cactaceae (Cactus)
There are many species in the genus Opuntia, this being only the 4th we have observed in the group. It is found in many of the Western United States especially in contrast with other species in the genus. There are 5 recognized varieties of polyacantha: arenaria (Texas and New Mexico), polyacantha (north Great Plains, east Great Basin Desert), nicholii (Arizona and Utah border), hystrici (unspecified locations), erinacea (unspecified locations). Calphotos shows var. erinacea blooming with one yellow and one pink flower on the same plant - see it here.
USES: There are many recorded uses of polyacantha by numerous Native American tribes. In summary they are: Fruit and Pads - raw or dried for later use. The dried fruit can be mixed into stews or used to thicken soups. Young pads are boiled and fried. The large hairs are burnt off, the pads are boiled and the remaining thorns washed off. The pads are then dipped in a syrup made from boiling sweetcorn seeds and then eaten. Seed - dried, parched and ground into a meal, then added to flour and used in making cakes etc. Medicinal - The stems are astringent and diuretic. An infusion is used in the treatment of diarrhoea. A poultice of the flesh has been used to treat skin sores, infections, wounds and back aches. Dye-Gum-Mordant - The peeled stems have been used as a mordant in fixing dyes. A pink to red dye is obtained from the fruit. A gum is obtained from the stem that can be used as an adhesive.
Flower -
Plant location: Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge - Nevada - May 8, 2017
Found in the following United States: AZ , CA , CO , ID , KS , MO , MT , ND , NE , NM , NV , OK , OR , SD , TX , UT , WA , WY. See the BONAP distrbution map by county, here. Compare the distribution of polyacantha to other Opuntia species, here.Plant -
Bloom season: May and June.
Habitats include dry grasslands, badlands & eroded areas. Flora of North America mentions that polyacantha specimens carry two types of spines. This is nicely illustrated in this frame.Stem Segment -
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge - Nevada - May 8, 2017
Notice the density of the spines on many of the plants stem segments - so much so that the segments are almost entirely obscured. -
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