Opuntiads of the USA

(by Joe Shaw and Dave Ferguson)

Mission

Opuntia Species

Opuntia Country No. 1
Opuntia Country No. 2
Opuntia Country No. 3
Opuntia Country No. 4
Opuntia Country No. 5

Opuntia Country with
Daiv Freeman

Opuntia County, Big Bend

World Opuntiads

Peru Cactus Trip

Northern Patagonia Cactus Trip

Northern Patagonia Sights

Notes from the Editors

Culture Notes

Literature

Editorial Board

News

WWW Links

Agave Photos

Opuntia charlestonensis Clokey   [Madrono vol. 7:71, 1943]

Opuntia charlestonensis is relatively common in certain areas around Mt. Chareston, NV. These plants were photographed at about 7,000 ft on Highway 158, on the east side Charleston Peak and northwest of Las Vegas, NV (within a mile or so of the intersection with Highway 157). The plants were growing among pinyon (pinon) pine, junipers, and manzanita in rocky or gravely soils that are level or modestly sloping.

O. charleston is apparently the same species as O. tortispina, possibly a locally isolated population of O. tortispina. However, O. charestonensis is a homogenous group of plants, and not nearly so variable as O. torispina can be in New Mexico and Texas. As far as the authors know, the closest populations of O. tortispina are many miles away in north-central Arizona.

O. charlestonensis is larger than some O. tortispina specimens from other locations but not overly large for O. tortispina in general. The spines are generally pale (cream-white or pale yellow-white), brown spines were not generally found.