OPUNTIA MEGLIOLII

This member of the Cactaceae family was given this name by Michael Kiessling in 2000. It is found north of the Argentine city of San Juan. It grows in grit with little water and lots of sun. The flowers are yellow to brown-orange. The root will get up to five centimetres in diameter and fifteen centimetres long. The whole plant will get fifteen centimetres high. The genus is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus, where, according to Theophrastus, an edible plant grew and could be propagated by rooting its leaves. Surely not this genera. The species name after Dr. Silvio Megloni, an Argentinean cactus collector. Subfamily: Opuntioideae.