Salmonopuntia

Two species and historical names

In the current POWO treatment, the genus includes Salmonopuntia salmiana and S. schickendantzii. The name Salmonopuntia was published by P. V. Heath in 1999. The generic names Salmiopuntia and Mortolopuntia are now placed in its synonymy. [2-WWW]

Relationships reconstructed from DNA

The study by Realini et al. covered 15 South American species then included in Opuntia. ISSR markers and two plastid DNA regions indicated a close relationship between the present-day S. salmiana and S. schickendantzii (Opuntia salmiana and O. schickendantzii in the publication). Agreement between these two data sets provided evidence independent of external similarity. [Realini et al. 2015]

The classification by de Vos et al. from 2025 places Salmonopuntia in the tribe Opuntieae. In the nuclear gene analysis, the lineage represented by S. salmiana was sister to the other members of the tribe studied. The sample did not include Consolea, Miqueliopuntia or S. schickendantzii (formerly Mortolopuntia schickendantzii). The conclusion about the genus’ position applies to this limited taxon set. [de Vos et al. 2025]

Stem structure and group boundaries

Cylindrical stems occur in several distinct opuntioid lineages. In the current classification, Salmonopuntia and Miqueliopuntia remain in Opuntieae, Cylindropuntia in Cylindropuntieae, and Austrocylindropuntia in Pterocacteae. Habit is considered alongside flower, fruit and seed structure and molecular data. [de Vos et al. 2025]

Propagation by organs forming on fruits

In S. salmiana, the upper fruit areoles can produce small, spiny shoots. Once detached, these are propagules, units capable of giving rise to a new plant. This recruitment method helps explain the dense stands observed at introduced sites. Details of their structure and dispersal are presented in the species profile. [Aymerich 2018]

A name corrected after examining the plants

The cultivated plant known as “Lion’s Tongue” circulated for years under the name Opuntia schickendantzii. In 2021, it was described as Opuntia leoglossa. Plants from some earlier reports from Spain and Australia, and material used in earlier DNA analyses, also belong to this taxon. These are corrections to the identification of specific specimens. [Köhler and Font 2021]