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These are Opuntias that form large shrubs, very large shrubs, or even trees at maturity.

Opuntia ochrocentra, Bull Suckers

Small ex Britton & Rose, Cactaceae (Britton & Rose) 4: 262 (1923) Lectotype; Herbarium; Herbarium Original Description What is Opuntia ochrocentra? Opuntia ochrocentra is a small- to medium-sized prickly pear cactus from the Florida Keys. It is very rare. Its entire world distribution is limited to just two known occurrences in the lower Florida Keys in cactus barrens and the ecotone […]

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Opuntia keyensis

Opuntia keyensis, Florida Keys Pricklypear

Britton & Small, Journal of the New York Botanical Garden 20: 31, 1919 Herbarium; Herbarium; Black and White Photograph Original Description What is Opuntia keyensis? Opuntia keyensis is a native Florida prickly pear cactus found in the Keys and Cape Sable.  Details O. keyensis is a large, erect, multi-branched cactus that forms a shrub or

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Opuntia tardospina

Opuntia tardospina, Late-spine Pricklypear

Griffiths, Annual Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden 22: 34, 1911 Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Photograph (top photo); Photograph; Painting Original Description What is Opuntia tardospina? Opuntia tardospina is a large prickly pear cactus first reported from the Lampasas, Texas region. Griffiths reported that this Opuntia was an unusual cactus for several reasons, not the

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Opuntia canada

Opuntia canada, Canyon Pricklypear

Griffiths, Annual report Missouri Botanical Garden 20: 90, 1909 Holotype; Topotype; Herbarium (as O. engelmannii); Painting Original Description What is Opuntia canada? Opuntia cañada is a large, erect, ascending cactus that grows in far southern Arizona. It is a compact-appearing prickly pear.  Details Opuntia cañada grows either singly or in dense thickets. Plants typically reach up to

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Opuntia laevis fruit

Opuntia laevis, Smooth Pricklypear

  Coulter, Contributions from the U. S. National Herbarium 3: 419, 1896 Holotype; Isotype; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Painting (Britton and Rose, v1 1919, plate XXVIII)  Original Description What is Opuntia laevis? Opuntia laevis is a sometimes spineless prickly pear cactus that grows in various locations in southern AZ, but particularly on

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Opuntia gomei

Opuntia gomei, Delta Pricklypear

Griffiths, Annual Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden 21: 167, 1910 Holotype; Holotype (O. laxiflora); Isotype; Isotype (O. laxiflora); Herbarium (submitted as O. lindheimeri); Herbarium (O. cyanella); Herbarium (O. gilvoalba); Photograph (O. gilvoalba); Herbarium; O. gomei (painting); O. gomei (painting, O. laxiflora) Original Description What is Opuntia gomei? Opuntia gomei is a common prickly pear near the Rio

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O. oricola - Camarillo 5-1-11 (18)

Opuntia oricola, Pacific Pancake Pricklypear

Philbrick, Cactus and Succulent Journal (U.S.) 36(6): 163, 1964 Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium Original Description What is Opuntia oricola? Opuntia oricola is a medium-sized, easy-to-recognize prickly pear cactus found in coastal California.  Details O. oricola pads are 15 to 26 cm long and 12 to 19

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Opuntia semispinosa

Opuntia semispinosa, Partly-spined Pricklypear

Griffiths, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 43(2): 89, 1916 Holotype Original Citation What is Opuntia semispinosa? Opuntia semispinosa is a coastal prickly pear cactus from southern California and Mexico that has been variously lumped into O. occidentalisO. littoralis, or even other Opuntias of Southern California. We accept it as a stand-alone species. Details Plants may reach 1 or

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