purple

These are Opuntias with purple pads when stressed or in winter. Not all specimens have purple pads, and it is important to grow the right clone.

Opuntia chlorotica gosseliniana 'Tubac', garden plant

Opuntia chlorotica gosseliniana, Sonoran Purple Pricklypear

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Image (Weber) Ferguson, Cactus and Succulent Journal (U.S.) 60: 159, 1988 Isotype; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium Original Description What is Opuntia chlorotica var. gosseliniana? O. chlorotica var. gosseliniana is one of three recognized varieties in the O. chlorotica complex, together with var. chlorotica and var. santa-rita. The varieties intergrade […]

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Opuntia mojavensis

Opuntia mojavensis, Mojave Pricklypear

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Engelmann & Bigelow, Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 3: 293, 1856 Lectotype; Herbarium (O. mojavensis-like); Herbarium (O. mojavensis-like); Herbarium (O. mojavensis-like); Drawing (The Botany of the Expedition, 1856) Original Description What is Opuntia mojavensis? Opuntia mojavensis is an enigmatic prickly pear cactus. The only historical drawing of this cactus shows 2

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Opuntia chlorotica santa-rita

Opuntia chlorotica santa-rita, Santa-Rita Purple Pricklypear

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Opuntia chlorotica santa-rita Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium Original Description What is Opuntia chlorotica var. santa-rita? O. chlorotica var. santa-rita, the Santa-Rita purple prickly pear, is one of three varieties in the O. chlorotica complex—together with var. chlorotica and var. gosseliniana. It was clarified and united with O. chlorotica by Ferguson

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Opuntia macrocentra

Opuntia macrocentra, Black-spine Pricklypear

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Engelmann, Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 3: 292, 1856 [1857] Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium (as O. violaceae macrocentra); Herbarium (as O. violaceae macrocentra); Herbarium (O. macrocentra minor); Herbarium (O. macrocentra minor); Herbarium (O. macrocentra minor) Original Description What is Opuntia macrocentra? Opuntia macrocentra

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Opuntia gilvescens

Opuntia gilvescens, Bajada Pricklypear

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Griffiths, Annual Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden 20: 87, 1909 Holotype (as O. gilvescens); Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium;  Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium. Except where indicated, all specimens were originally interpreted as O. phaeacantha.  O. gilvescens is related to O. camanchica O. gilvescens is related to O. phaeacantha Original Description What is

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Opuntia charlestonensis

Opuntia charlestonensis, Mt. Charleston Pricklypear

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Clokey, Madroño 7(3): 71, 1943 Isotype; Isotype; Isotype; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Original Description What is Opuntia charlestonensis? Opuntia charlestonensis is a high-elevation prickly pear from Kyle Canyon on Mt. Charleston, Nevada (≈6,000–8,000 ft). It has been proposed as a hybrid taxon derived from two sympatric species, O. phaeacantha and O. polyacantha var. erinacea.

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Opuntia basilaris ramosa

Opuntia basilaris, Beavertail Cactus

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Engelmann & Bigelow, Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 3: 298, 1856 Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Holotype (O. basilaris brachyclada); Herbarium (O. basilaris brachyclada); Herbarium (O. basilaris brachyclada); Herbarium (O. basilaris brachyclada); Isolectotype (O. basilaris ramosa); Holotype (O. basilaris ramosa); Herbarium (O. basilaris heilii); Herbarium (O. basilaris heilii); Herbarium (O.

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Opuntia azurea

Opuntia azurea, Purple Pricklypear

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Rose, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 12(7): 291, 1909 Holotype; Isotype; Isotype; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium (O. azurea diplopurpurea); Holotype (O. azurea diplopurpurea); Holotype (O. azurea discolor); Herbarium (O. azurea discolor); Herbarium (O. azurea parva); Herbarium (O. azurea parva); Herbarium (O. azurea parva); Herbarium (O. azurea parva); Painting (possible O. azurea); O.

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Opuntia aurea, Zion Beavertail Cactus

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Baxter, Cactus and Succulent Journal (U.S.) 5(6): 489, 1933 Holotype; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium Original Description What is Opuntia aurea? Opuntia aurea is a prostrate, mat-forming prickly-pear of southern Utah and adjacent northern Arizona. Plants typically creep outward in low patches rather than forming upright shrubs,

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