Opuntia laevis J.M. Coult.
Spineless prickly pear, tulip prickly pear
The spineless prickly pear often lacks spines on the lower portion of each pad. It is often listed as Opuntia phaeacantha var. laevis. It is protected in Arizona.
See this Opuntia comparison table.
Plants: This shubby, ground-hugging perennial forms clumps 1½–8′ (50–250 cm) wide and 12–35″ (30–90 cm) tall. Segments are 4–10 ⨉ 3–8″ (10–25 ⨉ 7.5–20 cm), with narrow, ovate bluish-green pads. These are often spineless, or with spines on the upper part of the joint. If spines are present, they are about ½″ (1.3 cm) long, with 1-3 per areole.
Flowers: Yellow, sometimes with reddish centers.
Fruits: Fleshy and smooth, purple or reddish purple, roughly cylindrical, with a narrow base. They are 1–2 ⨉ ¾–1½″ (3–6 ⨉ 2–4 cm).
Habitats: Sandy and rocky soils, pinyon juniper woodlands, grasslands, and ponderosa pine forests, from 1000–7000′ (304–2133 m).
Edibility: Fruits, called tunas, are edible. Young pads are cooked and used as an ingredient in various dishes.
Online References:
Beta.floranorthamerica.org (Opuntia phaeacantha)
1. Flowering joint of Opuntia laevis. 2. Flowering joint of Opuntia dillenii. 3. Upper part of flowering joint of Opuntia aciculate. By Mary Emily Eaton. Scanned by Daniel Schweich. From Britton, Nathaniel Lord, Rose, J. N., The Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family, Press of Gibson Brothers, 1919, p. Vol. I, Plate XXVIII.. 
Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm. var. laevis (J.M. Coult.) L.D. Benson
5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, Arizona 
ID is uncertain 
5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, Arizona ID is uncertain 
| 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 |
| Species | laevis | Smooth, free from hairs or roughness |
Opuntia laevis description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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