Opuntia matudae

Botanical Description

Opuntia matudae is a spiny, evergreen, succulent, shrubby to tree-like cactus with a short trunk, ascending branches and segmented stems; it can grow around 2 - 5 metres tall. Individual stem segments are obovate, around 19 - 30cm long and 12 - 19cm wide[ 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.. , 2007 Title Especies, Variedades Y Combinaciones Nuevas de Cactaceas del Valle de Mexico Publication Phytologia 49, 4; pp 313-338, November 1981 Author Scheinvar L. Publisher Year 1981 ISBN Description ]. This species is one of the main sources of 'xoconostle' fruits and 'nopalitos' in Mexico, where the plant is harvested in large quanties fom the wild and sold in local markets[ 2002 Title Physicochemical variability and nutritional and functional characteristics of xoconostles (Opuntia spp.) accessions Publication Fruits 70 (2015) 109-116 Author Hernández-Fuentes A.D. et al Website http://10.1051/fruits/2015002 Publisher Year 2014 ISBN Description ].. Many named cultivars have been developed in Mexican gardens and the plant is being grown on a commercial scale[ 2002 Title Physicochemical variability and nutritional and functional characteristics of xoconostles (Opuntia spp.) accessions Publication Fruits 70 (2015) 109-116 Author Hernández-Fuentes A.D. et al Website http://10.1051/fruits/2015002 Publisher Year 2014 ISBN Description , 2006 Title Morphological diversity of xoconostles (Opuntia spp.) or acidic cactus pears: a Mexican contribution to functional f Publication Fruits, 2012 , vol. 67, p. 109-120 Author Gallegos-Vázquez C. et al Website http://10.1051/fruits/2012001 Publisher Year 2012 ISBN Description ].