Common Name: Arumbeba

General Information

Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis is a somewhat spiny, evergreen, succulent, tree-like cactus with well-formed trunks up to 35cm in diameter that bear spine clusters; the plant can eventually grow 20 metres or more tall. The stems are segmented and are of two types;- intermediate segments are cylindrical, 20 - 100cm long; ultimate segments are rhomboid to ovate, irregular in outline, narrow basally, bright to dark green, producing thin, deciduous, leaflike shoots or cladodes. The leaves are small, fleshy, and early deciduous[].
and 35 cm (14 in) in diameter
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is grown as an ornamental where it can be used as a hedge.
Although much of the habitat of Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis especially the Atlantic Forest and agreste, has been destroyed in Brazil and population declines have been recorded, this species does occur in some national parks
and has a very wide range in the southern Neotropics. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids - these are barbed spines that are usually small to minute and are very sharp and brittle. The glochids are very easily dislodged when the plant is touched and can penetrate the skin where, because of their barbs, they become stuck and are very difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable irritation and discomfort[, ].
Opuntia species can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, especially in older parts of the plant. Perfectly alright in small quantities, foods containing oxalic acid should not be eaten in large amounts since it can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[, ].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northern Argentina, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, Brasil and Peru

Habitat

Various forest types including coastal forest, drier regions of the Atlantic rainforest, caatinga (especially along temporary water courses), lower montane forest, on deep sandy substrates and rocks; at elevations from sea level to 1,000 metres[]

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis is not frost hardy[].
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil[].
Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis is cultivated as an ornamental and has become naturalized in several places, outside its native range, including Florida[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. A trailside snack[]. The fleshy fruit is very variable in shape and especially in colour. It can range from yellow to orange-red, red, or purple,and can be globose to pear shaped or oblong . It is generally 3 - 4cm in diameter, bearing distinct clusters of dark brown glochids[]. There are 1 - 5 large seeds per fruit, each seed around 6 - 10mm in diameter[],

Medicinal

The unripe fruits are emollient[].
The ripe fruits are used in the treatment of tuberculosis[].
The ripe fruits are used in poultices in order to relieve the pain of sciatica[].

The juice from the roots and cladodes is used as a febrifuge[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is used as a hedge[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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