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Nasty 'breakthorn' cactus name?
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Not sure which category to post this, but here goes....
what's the common name & Latin name for that nasty cactus found in the Eastern Cape. Grows only a few inches high normally and the spines break off as soon as you brush against it. The sheep pick them up on their feet and can into a real mess (& we hunters pick them on our boots!).
The spines attach themsleves very securely, even to leather boots.


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The American Liberal.


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Posts: 1849 | Location: Southern California | Registered: 25 July 2006Reply With Quote
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Since you were in East Cape with many Brit precedents, they probably have a Brit name like "sticky ickys"
 
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My PH Philip called it jumping cactus. That stuff hurts!! Good use for your Leatherman multi-tool. (Don't know any other names.)


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Posts: 4888 | Location: Bryan, Texas | Registered: 12 January 2005Reply With Quote
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Does it look anything like a choya?


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There are a couple of species of Cacti that behave the way you have described.

The Opuntia Aurantica or Tiger Pear has spines which break off very easily and lies flat to the ground in most cases. The leaves are sausage like as opposed to flat.
The thorns are very tough and grip like crazy and most certainly make a mess of sheep and other animals feet.

Does this sound right . If not maybe describe the cactus a little more and I will see if it rings any bells
 
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Posts: 4888 | Location: Bryan, Texas | Registered: 12 January 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by BNagel:
http://barrdear.com/john/tag/tiger-pear/


The link refers to Australia! Wrong continent.
The cactus to which I refer is bad because it's the spines ONLY which break off so you don't feel them at first. Quite easily penetrate vibram boot soles, leather boots etc.


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Established 1984. Web sites: www.countrysports.co.uk & www.fishinginuk.co.uk SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, POLAND, SOUTH AFRICA
 
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The Tiger pear article refers to Australia but these cacti do occur in Africa and specifically the eastern cape. I am pretty sure they will be one of the Opuntia group.
 
Posts: 459 | Location: Zimbabwe | Registered: 11 May 2010Reply With Quote
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opuntia aurantiaca ( jointed cactus / tiger pear)

Introduced to South Africa around 1750 as garden ornamanents from native South America, with some 30 other species of cacti. ( all alien to SA)

First cited as a alien invader by Dept of agriculture around 1930. Spread mosty confined to the greater karoo Biome.

Bio control in SA mostly successful ( unlike Australia) using moths tht naturally prey on the cactus.

The afrikaans for this is "Litjies cactus" "lit" = joint "Litjie" = diminutive of "Lit" ie small joint or also known as the "Litjies turksvy" = jointed prickly pear.

In some parts known as "Katjie" = small cat.

During the Boer war british troops discovered that the prickly pear was edible and very very sweet and they would pick prickly pears whilst on the march and throw them down their shirts.... not being mindful of the very fine hairlike spines that covered the fruit.

Anyone who has eaten South African prickly pears have no doubt gotten those fine almost invisible spines stuck on the mouth, tounge or other body parts....... these are the reason a swiss army knife with it's built in tweezer is such a handy and essential tool!
 
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ALF is my hero (today). They look like what jumped on me at Blaauwkrantz -- Eardley's place chasing blesbok. Nanner, nanner.


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Posts: 4888 | Location: Bryan, Texas | Registered: 12 January 2005Reply With Quote
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jointed cactus indeed! It is awful stuff, and is easily spread around by game/livestock. It has barbed spines with an irritant, so if you get stabbed by one, removing it can be quite a bit of fun. There are two biocontrol agents that have been released to combat the different cacti, a moth, Cactoblastis cactorum and a white Cochineal scale insect. They do provide some control, but not nearly enough unfortunately. You will quite often notice lighter coloured cladodes with a drill-hole and brown goo oozing out. This is a good sign that the moths are present. Baboon actually rip them open sometimes to eat the caterpillars on prickly pear. Jointed cactus also seems to have a nasty habit of blending into the grass and small brush around you and the only time you seem to notice it is when it is attached to your leg!
 
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