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Opuntia microdasys

Opuntia microdasys

(Lehm.) Pfeiff.
Nopal Cegador (méxico)

Family: Cactaceae
Order: Caryophyllales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Phylum / Division: Magnoliophyta
Kingdom: Plantae

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Description


Opuntia microdasys (angel´s-wings, bunny ears cactus, bunny cactus or polka-dot cactus) is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family, Cactaceae. It is native and endemic to central and northern Mexico.

 Opuntia microdasys forms a dense shrub 40–60 cm tall, occasionally more, composed of pad-like stems 6–15 cm long and 4–12 cm broad.

Instead of spines it has numerous white or yellow glochids 2–3 mm long in dense clusters. They are barbed and thinner than the finest human hairs, detaching in large numbers upon the slightest touch. If not removed they will cause considerable skin irritation so the plants must be treated with caution.

The Latin specific epithet microdasys means "small and hairy".

The yellow flowers appear only rarely. Despite this, it is a very popular cactus in cultivation, partly because of the young plant´s comical resemblance to a rabbit´s head. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society´s Award of Garden Merit.

Distribution: Native to Mexico, naturalised in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. One reason for the success of O. microdasys in desert habitats - at home and as an introduction - is its efficient fog collection ability. The hairs have the perfect structure and microstructure to capture and channel fog.

Related Species: The very closely related Opuntia rufida differs in having reddish-brown glochids. It occurs further north in northern Mexico, and into western Texas. Some botanists treat the two as a single species.

Source: Wikipedia, article Opuntia microdasys. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Count: 4

Foto
Photography ID: 586743
  Adult

Córdoba
Córdoba
Argentina
06/08/2024
Daniel Oscar Serra
Foto
Photography ID: 557490
  Adult

Dorila
La Pampa
Argentina
11/26/2023
Hugo Alberto Valderrey
Foto
Photography ID: 484250
  Adult

Capilla del Monte
Córdoba
Argentina
10/30/2021
Walter Bustamante
Foto
Photography ID: 451733
  Adult

Ciudad de Córdoba
Córdoba
Argentina
01/07/2009
Daniel Oscar Serra


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Species records

Count: 4



Page 1 of 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
204236708/06/2024ArgentinaCórdobaJardín Botánico, CórdobaDaniel Oscar Serra
192111626/11/2023ArgentinaLa PampaDorilaHugo Alberto Valderrey
155243230/10/2021ArgentinaCórdobaAscenso al Dique Los Alazanes, Capilla del MonteWalter Bustamante
246473607/01/2009ArgentinaCórdobaBarrio Jardín Espinosa, Ciudad de CórdobaDaniel Oscar Serra
Page 1 of 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Opuntia microdasys – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 14/09/2026.