A tiny opuntia for ID...

G'day guys...

Here's a plant I got some time ago from Collector's Corner. It seems to be relatively slow growing, and is maybe five inches tall.



Any ideas?

i have no idea but could it also be a tephro? of some sort

Isn't that what they use to call Opuntia tuna (or something along those lines)?

Yeah I certainly considered that... I must admit I'm not too flash when it comes to IDing this sort of plant. The opuntiads seem to have the most confused nomenclature of any cacti; I've seen so many different groupings - Opuntia, Cylindropuntia, Micropuntia, Puna, Tephrocactus, Mauhuenopsis, Pterocactus, Consolea, Corynopuntia...

I thought I'd give IDing it a go neverthess... this is a plant that I've seen for sale reasonably often - including at weekend markets - so I'm tipping someone knows what the bloody thing is!

TasV, I don't think this is Opuntia tuna... I thought that was a larger species, more conventionally prickly pear-like in habit?

This is from a book of mine:



Also seen references to O. rufida f. dwarf

Well I reckon that photo is very interesting... my references give a totally different picture for O. tuna - however I reckon there's definitely something here. O. rufida... isn't that the "cow blinder", a big nasty plant with massive glochids?

Google images for Opuntia rufida f. dwarf

*looks at images*

Holy cow, I think that may be it! Cheers TasV!

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/70013/

http://www.absolutelycactus.com/absolutelycactus_pages/opuntia_minima_rufida.html

This looks like it too but I've never heard it called this: http://www.thesucculentgarden.com.au/opunt.html but by the look of this it might be a legitimate name: http://www.google.com.au/images?hl=en&lr=&q=Opuntia%20microdasys%20var.%20rufida&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

On here as O. var. rufida forma minima: http://www.cactusland.com.au/plantlist/plcactmz.htm ????

???? http://www.flickr.com/photos/25928331@N05/3892004334/

Called "Tuna" on Cactusland too: http://www.cactusland.com.au/plantlist/plcactmz.htm

So it's a mini-me rufida then... at least we're got something to go on now.

These miniature, clumping species are definitely a favourite of mine.

I hope you've got microdasys then... common but just so beautiful.