Opuntia cochenillifera explained

Opuntia cochenillifera is a species of cactus in the subfamily Opuntioideae. It may have been endemic to Mexico, but has been widely introduced. The first description was in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as Cactus cochenillifer. Philip Miller renamed it as Opuntia cochenillifera in 1768.

Ecology

Unlike most Opuntia species, O. cochenillifera is pollinated by hummingbirds.^{[1] [2]}

External links

• Plants Profile for Opuntia cochenillifera (cochineal nopal cactus)
• Opuntia cochenillifera - Species Page - ISB: Atlas of Florida Plants

Notes and References

1. J.A. Reyes-Agüero, J.R. Aguirre R., A. Valiente-Banuet (2006) Reproductive biology of Opuntia: A review. Journal of Arid Environments 64(4):549-585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2005.06.018
2. https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-taxon.php&taxonid=20359 Flora of the Southeastern United States