Family Cactaceae


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Opuntia aciculata
Common Name(s): Chenille Prickly Pear
Synonym(s):

O. aciculata

Photo taken at: Cliff & Linda Meng Private Collection, Fullerton, CA


O. aciculata
Photo taken at: Cliff & Linda Meng Private Collection, Fullerton, CA

Opuntia basilaris
Common Name(s): Bakersfield Beavertail, Beavertail, Branching Beavertail, Elongated Beavertail, Kern Beavertail, Short-Joint Beavertail, Trelease Beavertail, Trealease's Beavertail, Woodbury Beavertail
Synonym(s): Opuntia basilaris, Opuntia treleasei, Opuntia brachyclada, Opuntia humistrata, Opuntia whitneyana, Opuntia longiareolata, Opuntia basilaris

O. basilaris

Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA


O. basilaris
Photo taken at: Anza Borrego, State Park, CA

Opuntia decumbens
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. decumbens

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


Opuntia dillenii
Common Name(s): Eltham Indian Fig, Sweet Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Cactus dillenii, Opuntia anahuacensis, Opuntia zebrina, Opuntia atrocapensis, Opuntia nitens, Opuntia melanosperma

O. dillenii

Photo taken at: Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas, CA


Opuntia durangensis
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. durangensis

Photo taken at: Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas, CA


O. durangensis
Photo taken at: Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas, CA

Opuntia echios
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Opuntia galapageia

O. echios
var. zacana

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ
var: zacana


Opuntia elatior
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Cactus elatior, Opuntia bergeriana

O. elatior

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


O. elatior
Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ

Opuntia engelmannii
Common Name(s): Cow's Tongue Cactus, Cow Tongue Prickly Pear, Desert Prickly Pear, Discus Prickly Pear, Engelmann's Prickly Pear, Few-Spined Marble-Fruited Prickly Pear, Texas Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia basilaris, Opuntia treleasei, Opuntia brachyclada, Opuntia humistrata, Opuntia whitneyana, Opuntia longiareolata, Opuntia basilaris

O. engelmannii

Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA


O. engelmannii
var. lindheimeri
Photo taken at: Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas, CA
var. lindheimeri

O. engelmannii
var. lindheimeri
Photo taken at: Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas, CA
var. lindheimeri

O. engelmannii
var. linguiformis

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ
var. linguiformis


Opuntia ficus-indica
Common Name(s): Indian Fig, Mission Cactus, Smooth Mountain Prickly Pear, Smooth Prickly Pear, Tuberous Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Cactus ficus-indica, Cactus opuntia, Opuntia vulgaris, Platyopuntia vulgaris, Cactus compressus, Opuntia compressa, Opuntia maxima, Opuntia cordobensis, Platyopuntia cordobensis, Opuntia tuna-blanca

O. ficus-indica

Photo taken at: Rainbow Gardens, Vista, CA


O. ficus-indica
Photo taken at: Altman Growing Grounds, Vista, CA

O. ficus-indica
Photo taken at: Altman Growing Grounds, Vista, CA

O. ficus-indica
Photo taken at: Altman Growing Grounds, Vista, CA

O. ficus-indica
Photo taken at: A Roadside, Bonsall, CA

Opuntia galapageia
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Opuntia myriacantha

O. galapageia

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


Opuntia fragilis
Common Name(s): Brittle Cactus, Fragile Prickly Pear, Loose Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Cactus fragilis, Opuntia brachyarthra

O. fragilis

Photo taken at: Near Granite Falls, MN


O. fragilis
Photo taken at: Big Stone Wildlife Refuge, Near Ortonville, MN

Opuntia gosseliniana
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. gosseliniana

Photo taken at: Huntington Library, San Marino, CA


Opuntia helleri
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. helleri

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


Opuntia humifusa
Common Name(s): Eastern Prickly Pear, Low Prickly Pear, Smooth Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Cactus humifusus, Opuntia vulgaris, Opuntia caespitosa, Opuntia mesacantha, Opuntia italica, Opuntia rafinesquei, Opuntia rafinesquei, Opuntia fuscoatra, Opuntia allairei, Oputnia nemoralis, Opuntia rubiflora, Opuntia impedata, Opuntia calcicola, Opuntia cumulicola

O. humifusa

Photo taken at: River Glen Gardens, Little Sauk, MN


Opuntia littoralis
Common Name(s): Coastal Prickly Pear, Sprawling Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia engelmannii, Opuntia semispinosa

O. littoralis

Photo taken at: Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point, CA


O. littoralis
Photo taken at: Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point, CA

O. littoralis
Photo taken at: Along Avenida Pico, San Clemente, CA

O. littoralis
Photo taken at: Along Avenida Pico, San Clemente, CA

Opuntia macrocentra
Common Name(s): Black-Spined Prickly Pear, Blunt-Spined Prickly Pear, Long-Spined Prickly Pear, Martin's Blunt-Spined Prickly Pear, Purple Prickly Pear, Reddish Purple Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia violacea

O. macrocentra

Photo taken at: Saguaro National Park, East Unit, AZ


O. macrocentra
Photo taken at: Cal Cactus, Bonsall, CA

Opuntia macrorhiza
Common Name(s): Delicate Prickly Pear, Plains Prickly Pear, Pott's Prickly Pear, Starvation Prickly Pear, Tuberous-Rooted Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia pottsii, Opuntia setispina, Opuntia sphaerocarpa, Opuntia tenuispina, Opuntia plumbea, Opuntia ballii, Opuntia delicata

O. macrorhiza

Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA


O. macrorhiza
Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA

Opuntia martiniana
Common Name(s): Martin's Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia macrocentra

O. martiniana

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


O. martiniana
Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ

Opuntia megasperma
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. megasperma

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


Opuntia microdasys
Common Name(s): Angel's Wings, Bunny-Ear Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Cactus microdasys, Opuntia macrocalyx

O. microdasys

Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA


O. microdasys
Photo taken at: Altman Growing Grounds, Vista, CA

O. microdasys
Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA

O. microdasys
Photo taken at: Altman Growing Grounds, Vista, CA

O. microdasys
Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ

O. microdasys
Photo taken at: Altman Growing Grounds, Vista, CA

Opuntia phaeacantha
Common Name(s): Brown-Spined Prickly Pear, Densely Spined Prickly Pear, Major Prickly Pear, Mojave Prickly Pear, New Mexico Prickly Pear, Purple-Fruited Prickly Pear, Yellow-Spined Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia camanchica, Opuntia mojavensis, Opuntia angustata, Opuntia superbospina, Opuntia woodsii, Opuntia charlestonensis

O. phaeacantha

Photo taken at: Northeast Orange County, CA


O. phaeacantha
Photo taken at: Northeast Orange County, CA

Opuntia polyacantha
Common Name(s): Cliff Prickly Pear, Grizzly Bear Prickly Pear, Hairy Prickly Pear, Hedgehog Prickly Pear, Juniper Prickly Pear, Nichol's Prickly Pear, Plains Prickly Pear, Porcupine Prickly Pear, Red-Spined Prickly Pear, Starvation Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia media, Opuntia missouriensis, Opuntia splendens, Opuntia rutila, Opuntia erinacea, Opuntia hystricina, Opuntia missouriensis, Opuntia arenaria, Opuntia rhodantha, Opuntia ursina, Opuntia xanthostemma, Opuntia schweriniana, Opuntia ursus-horribilis, Opuntia barbata, Opuntia juniperina, Opuntia nicholii, Opuntia heacockae

O. polyacantha

Photo taken at: Cal Cactus, Bonsall, CA


Opuntia pycnantha
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. pycnantha

Photo taken at: Grigsby Cactus Gardens, Vista, CA


Opuntia quitensis
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Platyopuntia quitensis, Opuntia macbridei

O. quitensis

Photo taken at: Huntington Library, San Marino, CA


Opuntia rastrera
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. rastrera

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


O. rastrera
Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ

Opuntia robusta
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Opuntia guerrana

O. robusta

Photo taken at: Rainbow Gardens, Vista, CA


O. robusta
Photo taken at: Altman Growing Grounds, Vista, CA

O. robusta
Photo taken at: Cal Cactus Nursery, Vista, CA

Opuntia rufida
Common Name(s): Blind Prickly Pear
Synonym(s): Opuntia lubrica, Opuntia herfeldtii

O. rufida

Photo taken at: Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas, CA


O. rufida
Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ

Opuntia salmiana
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Cylindropuntia salmiana, Austrocylindropuntia salmiana, Platyopuntia salmiana, Opuntia spegazzinii, Opuntia albiflora, Opuntia ipatiana, Austrocylindropuntia ipatiana

O. salmiana

Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA


O. salmiana
Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA

O. salmiana
Photo taken at: My Collection, San Clemente, CA

Opuntia soederstromiana
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Opuntia dobbieana

O. soederstromiana

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


Opuntia streptacantha
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s):

O. streptacantha

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


Opuntia sulfurea
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Platyopuntia sulfurea, Opuntia vulpina, Opuntia brunnescens, Platyopuntia brachyacantha, Opuntia brachyacantha, Platyopuntia spinibarbis

O. sulfurea

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


Opuntia tapona
Common Name(s):
Synonym(s): Opuntia angustata, Opuntia comonduensis

O. tapona

Photo taken at: Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas, CA


Opuntia tomentosa
Common Name(s): Velvet Opuntia
Synonym(s): Opuntia hernandezii, Opuntia oblongata, Opuntia macdougaliana, Opuntia icterica, Opuntia sarca

O. tomentosa

Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ


O. tomentosa
Photo taken at: Desert Botanical Garden , Phoenix, AZ

*Currently 33 of 181 known species shown in this genus.