Opuntiads of the USA

(by Joe Shaw and Dave Ferguson)

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Opuntia Country No. 1
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Opuntia Country No. 5

Opuntia Country with
Daiv Freeman

Northern Patagonia Cactus Trip

Opuntia arenaria Engelmann

The Flora of North America provides a technical description of the species and describes it as a variety of Opuntia polyacantha (Opuntia polyacantha Haworth var. arenaria (Engelmann) B. D. Parfitt, Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles). 70: 188. 1998).

Read a description by Engelmann in the Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (vol. 8, pg. 301, 1856). The plant has been described at O. polyacantha var. arenaria in the literature, but is herein considered distinct from O. polyacantha.

The New Mexico Rare Plants Web site provides a description of O. arenaria and mentions its ecology and conservation status; excellent photographs are provided as well.

New Mexico Rare Plants reports, "This species is closely akin to other dry-fruited species of Opuntia, but due to its different and low chromosome number and morphological stability, it is usually considered to be a distinct and well defined species. Opuntia polyacantha (incl. O. erinacea) may be separated by its larger size (joints usually well over 3 cm in diameter) and firmly attached joints, as well as the fact that many individuals have pink, red, or magenta pigmentation in their flowers. Opuntia polyacantha is tetraploid (2n = 44), while O. arenaria is diploid (2n = 22). Opuntia polyacantha and O. arenaria are not known to occur sympatrically."

Opuntia arenaria (photo provided by USDA)	Opuntia arenaria, photo by Martin Ravn Tversted, Northern Nursery	Opuntia arenaria, photo by Martin Ravn Tversted, Northern Nursery
Opuntia arenaria, El Paso, TX, photo by Dave Ferguson (from slide)	Opuntia arenaria, Vado, NM, photo by Dave Ferguson (from slide)	Opuntia arenaria, Vado, NM, photo by Dave Ferguson (from slide)