This species is possibly conspecific with Opuntia elatior[].

Common Name: Tuno o Tunas

General Information

Opuntia schumannii is a spiny, evergreen, succulent shrubby cactus with segmented stems; it forms clumps100 - 200cm tall. Individual stem segments are obovate to oblong, irregular and wavy marginally, up to 25cm long[].
The fruit is used as a food colouring and the plant is used medicinally[].
Opuntia schumannii is only known from two locations close to the Colombia-Venezuela border, and its habitat is threatened by mining and urbanization. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' 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

Northern S. America - Colombia, Venezuela

Habitat

Arid zones in tropical dry forest, by the sides of roads in open areas[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Extracts from the fruit are used as a red food colouring in ice creams, juices etc[, ]. The oval, dark purple, fleshy fruit is up to 5cm long[].

The tender young stem segments of various species are often cooked as a vegetable[]. Known as ‘nopals’ in Mexico, where they are a common ingredient in numerous dishes, they can be eaten raw or cooked, used in marmalades, soups, stews and salads. The most commonly used species are Opuntia ficus-indica or Opuntia hyptiacantha (syn Opuntia matudae), although the stems of almost all Opuntia species are edible[, ].

Medicinal

The plant has medicinal uses. No further information given

We have no further specific information on medicinal uses for this species, but the following notes are likely to apply universally to Opuntia species and other related genera[].

The flesh of tender young stem segments can be applied as a poultice to reduce inflammation[].
The mucilage and soluble fibre found in the flowers and stem segments have been shown to help control blood-sugar levels associated with adult-onset diabetes[].
There is clinical evidence that the soluble fibre in the stem segments helps reduce blood cholesterol levels[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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Captcha: if i have 3 bananas, and i eat them all, how many bananas did i just eat?