| Opuntia quimilo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Opuntia quimilo at the Jardin botanique de Lyon, in France. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Opuntia |
| Species: | O. quimilo |
| Binomial name | |
| Opuntia quimilo | |
Opuntia quimilo is a tree cactus and flowering plant species belonging to the Cactaceae family. It is found in north-central Argentina and is widespread in Bolivia. [3]
Opuntia quimilo grows as a multi-branched tree with a clearly identifiable stem, reaching a height of up to ten meters. The large, elliptical to oblong sections are glossy, greenish-grey, and measure up to 50 centimeters long, 25 centimeters wide, and 2 to 3 cm thick. The flowers, which are red or orange, are up to 7 centimeters in diameter. The fruits are pear-shaped to spherical, greenish-yellow, and 5–7 cm long. [4]
It is pollinated by bees of the genera: Arhysosage , Augochloropsis , Megachile , Lithurgus , Xylocopa , Tetrapedia , Melipona and the species Ptilothrix tricolor , Diadasia patagonica , Bombus morio , Apis mellifera and Polybia ignobilis . It is also pollinated by hummingbird species Heliomaster furcifer and Chlorostilbon lucidus . [5]
It is assessed as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. [1]
Opuntia quimilo was described by Karl Moritz Schumann and published in Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen 746. 1898. [2] [6]
Opuntia : generic name coming from the Greek used by Pliny the Elder for a plant that grew around the city of Opus in Greece [7]
quimilo : epithet derived from the common name "quimilo" used by locals to describe the species. [7]
