Florida has several native members of the cactus family, Cactaceae, but our most common by far are in the genus Opuntia, the Pricklypears.
Meet Opuntia mesacantha ssp. lata, introduced to you by vagabond botanist Joey Santore, @CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt
This Opuntia species is the most widespread across the state, found in sandhills, scrub, coastal dunes, rocky outcrops, and scrubby flatwoods. Its showy yellow flowers pop in late spring, attracting various native pollinators. As Joey mentions, the stamens are thigmonastic, which means they move towards stimuli. In this case, when a pollinator lands, the movement triggers the stamens to move toward the insect, ensuring they get covered in pollen to aid in pollination.
The fleshy fruits of Pricklypear ripen to a bright pink, and both the fruit and the pads are eaten by a variety of wildlife, including gopher tortoises, birds, and mammals. They’re also edible for human consumption - just be sure to remove all of the spines and glochids (the small bristles that are very painful). The colorful ripe fruits have a mild sweet flavor, are eaten raw or cooked, and are used to make drinks, jams, or syrups, while the pads can be sautéed or grilled.
Video and description by FNPS Director of North Florida Programs, Lilly Anderson-Messec
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26 авг 2024
