Opuntia jamaicensis Britton & Harris, 1911

Guiggi, Alessandro & Mariotti, Mauro, 2022, Taxonomic and nomenclatural novelties in some Cactaceae of Greater Antilles, Phytotaxa 573 (2), pp. 215-230 : 216-217

1. Opuntia jamaicensis Britton & Harris in Britton (1911: 130).

Lectotype (designated here): ― JAMAICA. St. Catharine: roadside plains, near Salt Ponds , 31 August 1908, Britton & Harris 10887 [ NY386051 !, corpus, areolae, spinae, flos, fructus, semen ( Fig. 1 ) ; isolectotypes US00115891 !, corpus, areolae, spinae, flos, fructus, semen, UCWI (ex JM), non videmus] .

Etymology: ―The epiteth derives from Jamaica with the Latin suffix - ensis, referred to its Jamaican geographic origin ( Crook & Mottram 1999, Eggli & Newton 2004).

Typification of Opuntia jamaicensis : ― Britton (1911: 130) reported “ Typus ” for collection n. 10887 by Britton & Harris (or Harris & Britton as cited in the label of the existent herbarium samples). However, no herbarium was cited in the protologue. Moreover, there are three type collections with the same number and date deposited at NY, US, and UCWI (ex JM). As consequence, according to the Art. 8.1 of ICN, a lectotype is designated here among the syntypes known (Art. 9.6 of ICN), opting for NY specimen, being the most complete with all vegetative and reproductive elements.

Taxonomical notes: ―The comparison of the illustrations and descriptions by Britton (1911: 130) and Britton & Rose (1919: 161), as well as by examining herbaria specimens, supported this taxon as a distinct species from Opuntia tuna sensu auct. (see next paragraphs), differing from the other Jamaican taxon (here described as Opuntia kingstoniana ), for its cladodes more sphatulate with a narrow base (vs. usually obovate), areoles oval (vs. circular), fewer spines (usually 1–2 per areoles (vs. usually 2–5), up to 2.5 cm long (vs. up to 5.0 cm long), spreading (vs. reflexed), whitish (vs. brownish-yellow), usually arranged only along the apical margins (vs. the entire surface), fruit pyriform with the lower part very narrow and elongated, 3.5–4.0 cm long (vs. short-obovoid, about 3 cm long). Also habitat and distribution areas are different between these two taxa: O. jamaicensis grows on saline soils (vs. rocky or sandy soils for O. kingstoniana ), at 0–8 m a.s.l. (vs. 0–120 m), in St. Catherine and Manchester Parishes (vs. St. Andrew and St. Thomas Parishes) [see also Britton & Rose 1919: 113–114, Adams 1972: 74, and Britton & Harris 10887 sub Opuntia jamaicensis (NY, US) , Rose 18503 sub O. tuna (US, NY) ].

Notes on flowering time: ―The plant start to flower at 11 a.m. and begin to close after 4 p. m. ( Britton 1911: 130).

Chorology: ―Endemic to Jamaica ( Britton & Rose 1919: 113).

Illustrations examined: ― Britton & Rose’s (1919: plate 18 figs. 4–5) figures are a fruiting cladode with a fruit section; plate 19 figs. 1–7 are a flowering plant, two flowers, one flower section, stamens and style from the plant type ( Fig. 2 ).

Relevant literature: ― Britton (1911), Britton & Rose (1919), Adams (1972).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lectotype of Opuntia jamaicensis from St. Catharine, Britton & Harris 10887, included four cladode sections with the typical spathulate shape, separated areoles and greyish spines with flowers, fruit and seeds, deposited at NY. Photo. © New York Botanical Garden.

FIGURE 2. A coloured drawing of a flowering plant, two flowers, one longitudinal flower section, stamens and style from the type of Opuntia jamaicensis included in Britton & Rose (1919: pl. 19). Photo. R. Mottram.