Crested Eve's Needle (Austrocylindropuntia subulata f. cristate)

Crested Eve's Needle
Austrocylindropuntia subulata f. cristate

I really like how the pads curve around like that. Very interesting. Nice pic!

That is a very nice plant. I have one that is the same but it says 'monstrose' instead of 'cristate'. Are they just synonyms of each other? I want to upload an image but not sure where to place it.

No, they are not the same. Cristate is a multiplying of the apex, and Monstrose is a multiplying of the ribs/body. The regular species is often mistakenly called monstrose only because Austrocylindropuntia's look monstruosed.
Upload the image in this reply, lets see which is what.

Here is the pic.

Your's is a cristate, but whether or not it's an Austrocylindropuntia subulata is the question.
Heres a closeup of Austrocylindropuntia subulata f. cristate
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/59424/
notice there are no spines, only about 3 hairs pointing downward and ellipitical areoles.
Yours appears to have spines, round instead of elliptical areoles, a different colored epidermis and different growth pattern. I would say you don't have a Crested 'Austrocylindropuntia subulata', but whatever it is, it's Crested.

I'm not too sure what it is either but the tag said Opuntia subulata f. montrose. The regular growth look similar to an Eve's pin that I had. Are Opuntia and Austrocylindropuntia synonyms when it comes to this plant? Maybe this could be the differece.
Anyways, I guess I won't upload this plant until I know what it really is. Thanks.

No, They are different Genera, not synonyms of each other.
I've never seen an 'Opuntia' crest. I've seen Austrocylidropuntia and Cylindropuntia crest though.
I also have 5 other crested cacti that I don't know the species of, that I haven't uploaded yet for the same reason. Which they are all obviously different looking.
One a Mammillaria, three a Cereus, and one an Echinopsis.
Sometimes I go browsing in various different garden centers/nurseries and per chance will see the same crested plant that has a label.

The Opuntia's were recently split up into several different Genera during reclassification in 2001.
When you see a case where 'Opuntia' is a synonym of 'Austrocylindropuntia or 'Cylindropuntia', that means it used to be an Opuntia.

I had three other crested cacti but one had rotted a year ago. They seem more rot prone than regular ones, to me anyway, but I find them very fascinating.
I too go to nurseries to look at names ,but I bring a note pad and take down names for my nameless plants.
Its interesting how some genera are getting split up while others are integrated together like Echinopsis which now contains Lobivia and Trichocereus. I wonder why they do that.

I guess it's the furthur ongoing scientific study that brings new evidence as to how they are all related. The genera are all grouped by certian characteristics. Genetic research is also involved in the classifications. Most of the re-organization I like, it makes identification a little easier, but It might mean having to learn some things over again.

That make sence.

Cacti_lover, you crested plant is a crested cylindropuntia subulata cristata, Xenomorf, I am not sure about yours but its either a opuntia cylindrica cristata or a cylindropuntia subulata cristata. I think your plant is a opuntia cylindrica cristata because it doesn't seem to have the caracteristicts of cylindropuntia subulata cristata.
I hope this helps clear up some misunderstandings.

I'm glad we're back to this thread because since the last time we we're speaking I bought one just like cacti_lovers cacti-in-question.
Right here:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/72961/
Which I see the same characteristics as in cacti_lovers pict above.
Both of mine 'were' labeled and I 'did' cross reference them with other picts.

heres a link with both of the non-crested species in question.
http://www.vildensky.com/kaktusfamilien.htm

Oh, and an update,..I have seen a crested Opuntia basilaris since this thread started.

It's dusk outside right now, but tommorrow I will go snap some photos of the new branches that have started out from the bases and sides of these 2 crested plants that are 'not' crested and post them here.

Heres a non-crested branch from the base of A. subulata

Heres a non-crested branch from A. cylindrica. Not very old yet.

The crested form look very similar to each other, but the non-created look somewhat different. One has tubercles and longer leaves while the other looks smooth with smaller leaves. Mine does look like the latter. Thank you cactiguy and Xenomorf for trying to help clearify this.

Xenomorf, you have some nice looking plants.
the one you are calling cylindrica is without a doubt O. subulata cristata, the otherone however is a bit tricky, it may be a O. subulata cristata but just an odd growth habbit. either way you have some very nice looking plants. I would like to post some of my collection but last week my digital camera broke, perhaps in a few weeks i will have an oppertunity to share a few pics.