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Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelmann 1850

(has been spelled "engelmanni")

Please refer to the Opuntia lindheimeri for a discussion of differences between O. engelmannii and O. lindheimeri. O. gregoriana is treated as a synonym of O. engelmannii herein. "Typical" O. engelmannii is very different from the large O. gregoriana-type plants that can be found in southeast New Mexico; however, over their entire range(s) the various forms intergrade and appear to represent a single taxon.

Opuntia engelmannii has been confused with many, upright-seeming, woody, large, Opuntia. See the article by Britton and Rose (in the Cactaceae, 1919) for an example. O. engelmannii was proposed to be the same as O. confusa, O. dillei, O. lindheimeri, O. arizonica, O wootonii, O. cyclodes, O. valida and others.

Opuntia engelmannii growing alongside Hwy. 93, a few miles north of Wikenburg, AZ
Opuntia engelmannii, Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, NM, March, 2006.	Opuntia engelmannii, Cibola National Forest near Albuquerque, NM, March, 2006, remnants of snow is visible in photo (especially bottom right)	Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, NM, 5,000 ft., late winter snow, March, 2006.
Mixed species, mostly Opuntia engelmannii from near Carlsbad, NM, Opuntia gregoriana-type plants.	Opuntia engelmannii from near Carlsbad, NM, Opuntia gregoriana-type plant.	O. orbiculata from near Carlsbad, NM, can be confused with Opuntia engelmannii.
Agave lechuguilla (foreground), with ocotillo (top left), and Opuntia engelmannii.	Opuntia gregoriana (Opuntia engelmannii) near Carlsbad, NM.	Opuntia gregoriana (Opuntia engelmannii) near Carlsbad, NM.
Opuntia orbiculata, southeast NM, can be confused with Opuntia engelmannii.	Opuntia engelmannii, about 50 miles east of El Paso, TX.	Typical flower of Opuntia engelmannii, many insects in flower.
Yellow flowers of large Opuntia species, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas.	Opuntia engelmannii, Aguirre Springs, NM (Organ Mountains, east of Las Cruces).	Opuntia engelmannii, between Aguirre Springs and Alamogordo, NM.
Close-up of previousOpuntia engelmannii plant (between Aguirre Springs and Alamogordo).	Opuntia engelmannii, between Aguirre Springs and Alamogordo, NM.	Opuntia wootonii from Dripping Springs, NM (near Las Cruces), can be confused with Opuntia engelmannii.
Close-up of previous Opuntia wootonii plant (Dripping Springs, NM).	Probably Opuntia engelmannii, spines thinner than usual, moutains east of Albuquerque, NM.	Oopuntia engelmannii, mountains east of Albuquerque, NM.
Opuntia engelmannii, mountains east of Albuquerque, NM.		Lava flow, 5-10 miles west of Carrizozo, NM, Dasylirion species prominent.
Possibly Opuntia engelmannii or O. valencia, wonderfully spiny plant growing on lava flow, 5-10 miles west of Carrizozo, NM, with O. valida, O. imbricata, and Dasylirion sp.	Possibly Opuntia engelmannii, close-up of (one of many) exceptionally spiny plants growing on lava flow, 5-10 miles west of Carrizozo, NM.	Opuntia engelmannii, about 50 miles west of El Paso, TX, on Hwy 62/180, growing with O. wootonii
Opuntia engelmannii, growing with O. microcarpa and O. wootonii, east of El Paso, TX	Opuntia engelmannii, growing with O. wootonii, east of El Paso, TX	Opuntia engelmannii, can be confused with O. wootonii, which is a smaller plant
Opuntia engelmanii, Dinosaur Valley State Park, Glen Rose TX, near the eastern edge of recorded sightings for this species	Opuntia engelmannii, Dinosaur Valley State Park, Glen Rose, TX, close-up of plant at left	Opuntia engelmannii, west of Roswell, NM
Opuntia engelmannii, Dinosaur Valley State Par, TX, September 2007	Close-up of plant at left	Opuntia engelmannii, west of Roswell, NM
Opuntia engelmannii (O. gregoriana), southeast New Mexico	Opuntia engelmannii (O. gregoriana), southeast New Mexico	Opuntia engelmannii (O. gregoriana), southeast New Mexico
Close-up of O. engelmannii (O. gregoriania-type plant)	Opuntia engelmannii (O. gregoriana), southeast New Mexico	Opuntia engelmannii (O. gregoriana), southwest of Artesia, NM
Possibly Opuntia engelmannii with slender spines, Kingman, AZ	Close-up of plant to immediate left	Possibly Opuntia engelmannii, Kingman, AZ, June 2007, drought year