Identity in flux…

As my plant biology guru tells it, “… not sure if you know how complicated cacti are to ID — especially when all you have is a vegetative plant. If you want to get some sense of this, visit the Wikipedia page on this topic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classification_of_the_Cactaceae
The situation with genera is really in flux, particularly in the ‘Cereus’ group and ‘Opuntia’.” In any case, this is in the cactus family (Cactaceae). Cool, huh?

Species page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Opuntia_cylindrica&rank=binomial

See Dave’s Garden’s page, “Introduction to Opuntias: THE Signature Cactus Genus,” http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/4263/

Photo taken at SIUC Plant Biology Greenhouse, http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/facilities/plant-biology-facilities/greenhouse/index.php

One year ago (“Wall shadows”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-11-20
Two years ago (“Bleak?”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-11-20

[Rick Schies]

I love it, it makes a wonderful house plant