Opuntia lasiacantha
Opuntia lasiacantha
Safety & Hazards
The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids - these are barbed spines that are usually small to minute and are very sharp and brittle. The glochids are very easily dislodged when the plant is touched and can penetrate the skin where, because of their barbs, they become stuck and are very difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable irritation and discomfort[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 1999 Title A natural history of the Sonoran Desert Publication Author Phillips S.J. & Comus P.W. Publisher University of California Press; Los Angeles, California Year 2000 ISBN 0-520-22029-3 Description ]. Opuntia species can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, especially in older parts of the plant. Perfectly alright in small quantities, foods containing oxalic acid should not be eaten in large amounts since it can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. , 1999 Title A natural history of the Sonoran Desert Publication Author Phillips S.J. & Comus P.W. Publisher University of California Press; Los Angeles, California Year 2000 ISBN 0-520-22029-3 Description ].
Botanical Description
Opuntia lasiacantha is a spiny, evergreen, succulent shrubby or tree-like plant with erect branches that usually arise from near the base; it can grow 50 - 400cm tall[ 1987 Title The Cactus Family Publication Author Anderson E.F. Publisher Timber Press; Portland, Oregon Year 2001 ISBN 0-88192-498-9 Description An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation.. ]. The plant produces a good quality fruit known as a 'xocotuna' that is commonly harvested from the wild and sold in local markets[ 2000 Title Genome sizes and ploidy levels in Mexican cactus pear species Opuntia (Tourn.) Mill. series Streptacanthae Britton e Publication Genet Resour Crop Evol (2007) 54:1033-1041 Author Segura S. et al Website http:// 10.1007/s10722-006-9196-z Publisher Year 2007 ISBN Description ]. The plant is also used as a source of fuel and is grown as an ornamental[ 1990 Title Cacti Biology and Uses Publication Author Nobel, Park S. (Editor) Publisher University of California Press; Berkeley, California Year 2002 ISBN 0-520-23157-0 Description A lot of information about the uses and cultivation of Cacti native to central Mexico ]. Opuntia lasiacantha is a common, widespread species, it faces no major threats, and it is found in several protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].