Opuntia wolfii (L.D. Benson) M.A. Baker
Cylindropuntia wolfii (L.D. Benson) J. Rebman
Wolf’s cholla, Wolf’s opuntia
Wolf’s cholla (”cholla” means a cylindrical stem) is native to extreme southern California and part of the Baja peninsula.
Plants: These heavily branched, shrublike plants reach 1½–5′ (50–150 cm) in height. Stems are segmented, yellowish green, with segments 2–16″ (6–40 cm) long and ⅞–1½″ (2.5–4 cm) around. Spines are yellowish to brown, darkening with age, in groups of 12-30, up to 1″ (3 cm) long.
Flowers: Yellowish green with tinges of bronze, to purplish brown. (Thanks to Joanne Schwartz for correcting an error in my reporting of flower color.)
Fruits: Grayish fruits are bumpy, and densely covered with spines, about 1″ (3 cm) long and 1″ (3 cm) in diameter.
Habitats: Dry, rocky desert habitats in the Sonoran Desert, the Colorado Desert of Southern California, and in Baja California, Mexico.
Online References:
The Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association (great photos)
References:
Opuntia echinocarpa Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow var. wolfii L.D. Benson
Opuntia wolfii (L.D. Benson) M.A. Baker
Opuntia wolfii (L.D. Benson) M.A. Baker
2/17/2007 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California 
| Parents | Unknown | Genus is not in the current taxonomy |
| Genus | Cylindropuntia | from the Greek kylindros, “a cylinder,” plus genus Opuntia, this is now the new genus of the so-called ‘true chollas’ |
| Species | wolfii | After Dr. Carl Brandt Wolf (1905-1974, botanist at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens and author on oaks and cypresses. He collected extensively in Kern County, including several type specimens, and spent many years studying cypresses |
Cylindropuntia wolfii description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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