Opuntia streptacantha in Spain
Opuntia streptacantha (Cactaceae) is native to Mexico and Guatemala where it is found at altitudes from 1 600 to 2 500 m asl. It is an invasive species in Australia, where it can invade and form dense monocultures in pasture and agricultural land. It can also invade natural habitats having a negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services. In Australia, the species has been reported to be spread by stem fragments and fruits, distributed by animals, vehicles and water. In Spain, O. streptacantha is known from a single locality in Ayamonte (province of Huelva, Andalucía), where it was detected in 2017. In 2023, a large population was found in a dried-out riverbed of the Carraixet river in Bétera (province of Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana). A few hundred individuals, ranging in age from very young to more mature, tall, fruit-bearing shrubs or small trees were found downstream of Bétera. In Spain O. streptacantha can be classified as established.
Sources
Verloove F, Guillot Ortiz D, Guiggi A, Marti Colomer E, Serra L (2024) New naturalized populations of Opuntia streptacantha (Cactaceae) from Spain. Bouteloua 36, 314-320