This Maihueniopsis was described in 1837 by Pfeiffer – or maybe Salm-Dyck? – as Opuntia, apparently not knowing the plant himself. This is why there existed some uncertainty about this taxon for some time.
After the recombination of Maihueniopsis platyacantha by D. Hunt in 2011 with a neotype from south of Laguna Auquinco, Neuquen, AR it was easy to assign plants to this taxon.
Most typical for this species are the horizontal stripes on the broad yet not papery flexible spines.
Maihueniopsis platyacantha SAR 14211 near Naunauco, Neuquen, AR.
This Maihueniopsis platyacantha from Las Leñas with rare dark spination shows very well the typical horizontal stripes od the spines.
This Maihueniopsis platyacantha SAR 14862 from the Tromen volcano, Neuquen, AR has strikingly short spines and extremely small segments.
Together with Maihueniopsis hickenii the plants of Maihueniopsis platyacantha belong to the most attractive Maihueniopsis in collections.