Opuntia Mill.
Prickly pear cactus, prickly pear, cholla, pricklypear
The large genus Opuntia includes prickly pear and beavertail cacti, both of which have stems that resemble paddles, many oval pads ½–1″ (1.3–2.5 cm) thick. Cholla used to be considered Opuntia as well, but they have been reclassified as members of Cylindropuntia. Botanists disagree as to whether Cylindropuntia should be a separate genus or a subgenus of Opuntia.
 |
Some members of Opuntia. |
Online References:
Wikipedia (Opuntia)
PlantSystematics.org (Opuntia)
Desert-tropicals.com (Opuntia)
References:
(Opuntia) · 7/11/1999 · Florissant and Lake George area, Colorado · By Tim Chandler 
Species not yet identified 
(Opuntia) · 2/24/2010 · San Diego (Quail) Botanic Garden, Encinitas, California Species not yet identified 
Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia) · 5/22/2009 · Red Rock Loop, Arizona Species not yet identified 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Caryophyllidae | Cacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts |
| Order | Caryophyllales | Includes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants |
| Family | Cactaceae | Succulent (water-storing) plants, often spiny |
| Genus | Opuntia | Prickly pears |
Opuntia description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.