| Tephrocactus articulatus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Tephrocactus articulatus in La Rioja Province, Argentina | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Tephrocactus |
| Species: | T. articulatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Tephrocactus articulatus (Pfeiff.) Backeb. [1] | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
List
| |
Tephrocactus articulatus is a species of cactus in the subfamily Opuntioideae of the plant family Cactaceae, endemic to northern Argentina. [1]
It is a small shrubby cactus growing 40 cm tall with white flowers. The branches are typically made up of around eight segments, each segment 3–15 cm long and 3–4 cm broad. [2] Its most notable feature are its spines which, if present, are flat and resemble parchment. [3] The flowers open at end-of-evening nautical twilight, and close shortly after sunrise.[ citation needed ]
The species, as with the rest of the genus Tephrocactus , was formerly often included in a wide view of Opuntia . The species is variable, and two varieties are sometimes accepted based on the number of spines, [2] though intermediates occur, [2] and they are not considered distinct by the Plants of the World Online database: [1]
Propagation is usually through cuttings. Stem segments break away easily and will root readily without special treatment. It also grows from seeds.
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