For additional information about this specimen, please contact: C.F. Rick Williams, Curator (willcha2@isu.edu)
Current Record
Dunn, David B. 143931963-07-04
RMBL0001277
6e79035b-df9e-4302-815b-b601e0d7bdbb
Opuntia polyacantha Haw.
Dunn, David B.1963
tonyfratesposted 2016-04-18 10:33:45
Dr. David B. Dunn seemed to have been stationed at Camp Kearns (which no longer exists) in Salt Lake County, Utah during World War II and made several return trips to Utah much later, and this collection was made during one of those. As indicated on the label, the Opuntia are growing here between two and seven miles west of Loa at high elevation, i.e. between 7200 ft. and 7960 ft., and represent one of the dominant plant species in a very delimited area. Best guess then as to the elevation of this collection would be 2300 m. These cacti appear to have a very consistent morphology. They are consistently low growing and very spiny (spines from a distance appearing to be largely golden in color) growing in open habitat largely devoid of any trees with a full sun exposure growing on a substrate covered by small to larger pieces of volcanic rock. It appears that this early July collection was taken not too far after the plants had been in flower, and that the flower color was pink. The spine tips on the collection sheet appear to be barbed and some of the spine clusters are reminiscent of Opuntia fragilis. This might be a hybrid derived from Opuntia nicholii and Opuntia fragilis (both of which are hexaploids). Needs further investigation until a better placement can be determined.