Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis (Willd.) A. Berger, Cactaceae

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Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk; score: 7 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis)

Other Latin names:  Cactus brasiliensis Willd.; Opuntia argentina Griseb.; Opuntia brasiliensis (Willd.) Haw.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Brazilian prickly pear, prickly pear cactus

Habit:  cactus

Description:  "is one of the largest cacti up to 66 feet (20m) tall with trunks 14 inches (35cm) in diameter. Clusters of spines defend the trunk. Stems segments are round on the trunk and branches, but on the end, stem segmants are flattend pads or cladodes like most Opuntias giving the appearance of large leaves. Young plants may be only made up of cladodes and not yet have any round stems. The color is an intense dark green. Areoles, have glochids and may have no spines or as many as 3. Flowers are yellow and just under 2 1/2inches (6cm) long. Fruits are round with large clusters of brown areoles and may be red, orange, yellow, and even purple. Seeds are large up to 10mm with one to five per fruit." (CactiGuide.com)

Habitat/ecology:  "This cactus [Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis] occurs in restinga, drier phases of mata atl&acarat;ntica, agreste, caatinga (especially along temporary water courses), mata de brejo, mata seca (on limestone), mata de galeria and mata do planalto, especially on deep sandy substrates and as a lithophyte (Taylor and Zappi 2004). (IUCN red list)

"It [Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis] occurs at elevations of 0 to 1,000 m asl." (IUCN red list)

Propagation:  (no propagation information known by PIER)

Native range:  "Native: Argentina; Bolivia, Plurinational States of; Brazil; Paraguay; Peru" (IUCN Red List)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  (no invaded habitats or impacts known by PIER; please let us know if you know of such information we should add here)

Presence:

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	Taylor, N. P./Machado, M./Zappi, D./Braun, P./Oakley, L./Pin, A./Ostalaza, C. (2013) accessed 20180512
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Hungda (2012) accessed 20180514; " A catus on Tru?ng L? mountain, Samson beach, Thanh Hoa province, Viet Nam"

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
South America South America	Argentina	native	Taylor, N. P./Machado, M./Zappi, D./Braun, P./Oakley, L./Pin, A./Ostalaza, C. (2013) accessed 20180512
South America South America	Argentina		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Bolivia	native	Taylor, N. P./Machado, M./Zappi, D./Braun, P./Oakley, L./Pin, A./Ostalaza, C. (2013) accessed 20180512
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Bolivia		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Brazil	native	Taylor, N. P./Machado, M./Zappi, D./Braun, P./Oakley, L./Pin, A./Ostalaza, C. (2013) accessed 20180512
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Brazil		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Paraguay	native	Taylor, N. P./Machado, M./Zappi, D./Braun, P./Oakley, L./Pin, A./Ostalaza, C. (2013) accessed 20180512
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Paraguay		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Uruguay		Flora Mesoamericana (year unknown) accessed 20180512
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	Taylor, N.P./Machado, M./Zappi, D./Braun, P./Oakley, L./Pin, A./Ostalaza, C. (2017) accessed 20180512: "It has become naturalized in some areas where it has been introduced, such as in Florida (USA)."--which is why PIER "Ref cites as invasive?"=TRUE

Control:  Control methods specific to this species are not known; however, there is detailed information about control of opuntioid cacti in Managing opuntioid cacti in Australia: Best practice control manual for Austrocylindropuntia, Cylindropuntia, and Opuntia species produced by the Western Australian Agriculture Authority.