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Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (de Candolle) F. M. Knuth

The stems of this cylindropuntia are thin, like a butterfly abdomen. Hence the name leptocaulis:
lepto = butterfly,
caulis = stem.

Thus, the name leptocaulis means butterly-like stem. The stem is indeed thin and can be compared to the abdomen of a butterfly. Spines (spine sheaths) are typically golden or white, and spines may be long (over 1 inch) or short (one fourth inch or less). Long-spined plants intergrade with short-spined plants and the two types can grow side by side.

More information can be found at The Flora of North America online. Additionally, the USDA provides a small file on Cylindropuntia leptocaulis and a short article is available at Texas Native Plants. O. leptocaulis is a widespread plant that ranges from south-central Oklamoma to the coast of Texas near Corpus Christi, west to the California border and south into Mexico.

The thin stems do not lend themselves well for snapshot photography. Therefore, in time, it is hoped that more detailed (or detail-revealing) images can be placed on this page.

Stand of Opunta leptocaulis near La Grange, TX, April 2007	Close-up of plants at left, Opuntia leptocaulis	Opuntia leptocaulis, La Grange, TX
Fruit, Opuntia leptocaulis, La Grange TX	Cylindrical branches growing out of fruit, Opuntia leptocaulis	Opuntia leptocaulis with lichen on older part of plant, La Grange, TX 35-inch rainfall area
Opuntia lindheimeri (left) with Opuntia leptocaulis (right, with fence pole)	Opuntia leptocaulis shrub, in cattle pasture	Opuntia leptocaulis with wildflowers, April 2007, near La Grange, TX
Opuntia leptocaulis, Palo Duro State Park, TX, September 2007	Opuntia lindheimeri growing in general area with O. leptocaulis, O. macrorhiza, Escobaria vivipara, juniper, and oak species, near LaGrange TX; plants often grow along fence lines where they are not mowed or grazed.
Opuntia macrorhiaza, adjecent to O. leptocaulis and O. lindheimeri, near La Grange, TX	Opuntia macrorhiza, close-up of plant at left	Opuntia macrorhiza var. grandiflora, inside city limits of LaGrange, TX
Bicycle event, near LaGrange, TX	Coryphantha species, adjacent to Opuntia leptocaulis, LaGrange, TX	Echinocereus reichenbachii, LaGrange, TX
Blue flowers of Herbertia lahue, adjacent to Opuntia leptocaulis near LaGrange, TX (April-May, 2007)	Opuntia leptocaluis (silhouette) growing adjacent to O. pyrocarpa at Pedernales Falls State Park, TX	Opuntia leptocaulis, green stem in front of broad leaf plants defoliated for winter (Feb. 2008), Paige, TX
Opuntia leptocaulis, Paige, TX, along the edge of Hwy. 290	Close-up of plant at left, showing stem details	Another view of plant at left, associated plants included Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar) and O. lindheimeri
Opuntia lindheimier, Paige, TX, growing in shade of eastern red cedars, plants appear spinless sometimes when grown in shade (near O. leptocaulis)		Opuntia lindheimeri, growing on bank above Hwy. 290 near Paige, TX in association with O. leptocaulis