Miqueliopuntia
| Miqueliopuntia | |
|---|---|
| File:Miqueliopuntia miquelii.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Opuntioideae |
| Tribe | Cylindropuntieae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Miqueliopuntia |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). A monotypic genus endemic to Chile, formerly part of Opuntia. |
Etymology
The genus is named after Friedrich Miquel, a 19th-century Dutch botanist, combined with Opuntia.
Description
Miqueliopuntia is a shrubby, upright cactus that forms large, dense thickets in its natural habitat.
- Stems: Cylindrical, bluish-green to greyish-green, divided into distinct segments (joints). They can grow up to 1.5 meters tall.
- Tubercles: Very prominent, elongated, and arranged spirally along the segments.
- Spines: Long, needle-like, and very strong. They are usually white or grey and can reach up to 8 cm in length, making the plant look extremely formidable.
- Glochids: Like all members of the subfamily Opuntioideae, it has glochids (tiny, barbed bristles), but in this genus, they are mostly hidden in the wool of the areoles.
- Flowers: Large and showy, appearing near the tips of the stems. They are usually white to pale pink.
- Fruits: Globose to egg-shaped, greenish-white, and covered with small spines and glochids.
Habitat
It grows in one of the driest places on Earth—the coastal hills and inland plains of the Atacama Desert in Chile. It is extremely drought-tolerant and can survive years without significant rainfall.
Distribution
- Chile: Endemic to the northern regions (Atacama and Coquimbo).
Species
Following the classification of Joël Lodé (2015), the genus contains only one species:
- Miqueliopuntia miquelii (Type species)
Taxonomy
Formerly included in Opuntia or Austrocylindropuntia, Friedrich Ritter established the genus Miqueliopuntia based on its unique seed structure and morphological characteristics. Joël Lodé (2015) maintains it as a distinct genus within the tribe Cylindropuntieae, a view supported by molecular studies.
