Opuntiads of the USA

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Opuntia dulcis-like

These plants are larger than Opuntia phaecantha and woody, and resemble O. dulcis. The authors conclude that they are a western populatin of O. dulcis (a Mojave population). They are relatively common on Mt. Charleston, just west of Las Vegas, NV in areas that support juniper, pinion pine and manzanita species (about 6,000 to 7,000 ft) on the east side of Mt. Charleston), and perhaps other areas of the mountain or on nearby mountains.

The O. dulcis-like plants co-occur with O. polyacantha, O. charlestonensis, and Yucca baccata.

Opuntia dulcis on rock ledge	Same plant as at left	Opuntia dulcis
Opuntia dulcis	Opuntia dulcis	Extra large pad, Opuntia dulcis, Mt. Charleston, NV
Opuntia dulcis, 2 cladodes	Opuntia dulcis with Yucca baccata	Opuntia dulcis
Opuntia dulcis	Opuntia dulcis	Opuntia dulcis
Opuntia dulcis cladode	Opuntia dulcis	Opuntia dulcis
Opuntia dulcis with pine	Same plant as at left	Opuntia dulcis
Opuntia dulcis, cladode with curved spines	Opuntia dulcis	Opuntia dulcis
Opuntia dulcis, Mt. Charleston	Same plant as at left	Same plant as at far left
Same plant as in row above	Same plant as in row above	Opuntia dulcis
Opuntia dulcis growing in rocky, gravelly soil	Same plant as at left	Same plant as at far left
Opuntia dulcis	Opuntia dulcis	Same plant as in photo at immediate left
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa, growing 1,000 or 1,500 ft lower elevation than O. dulcis