Opuntiads of the USA

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Opuntia acanthocarpa (Cylindropuntia)

O. acanthocarpa is found in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and adjacent portions of Mexico. Oftne the plant is less than 1.5-meters-tall, but it can reach 4 meters. Several varieties have been described. The Flora of North America online provides a technical description of O. acanthocarpa.

Read and early description of O. acanthocarpa. Some botanists recognize two varieties of O. acanthothocarpa: var. coloradensis and var. ganderi. However, O. ganderi is now recognized as a distinct species by many botanists. O. parryi and O. wolfii are cylindropuntias of California that can be mistaken for O. acanthocarpa (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3).

Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Wickenburg, AZ	Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Wickieup, AZ	Opuntia acanthocarpa
Opuntia acanthocarpa, 50 miles north of Kingman, AZ (east of dry Red Lake), June 2007	Opuntia acanthocarpa, 50 miles north of Kingman, AZ (east of dry Red Lake)	Opuntia acanthocarpa, 50 miles north of Kingman, AZ (east of dry Red Lake)
Opuntia acanthocarpa with cactus wren nest, near Dolan Springs, AZ, ca. 3,500 ft. elevation, July 2007	Opuntia acanthocarpa, July 2007, near Dolan Springs, AZ	Opuntia acanthocarpa (photo by Craig Howe)
Opuntia acanthocarpa (photo by Craig Howe)	Opuntia acanthocarpa var. ganderi (photo by Craig Howe), see Opuntia ganderi	Opuntia acanthocarpa var. ganderi (photo by Craig Howe), see Opuntia ganderi
Opuntia acanthocarpa, Rio Grande Botanic Garden, Albuquerque, NM, 2006	Close-up of plant at left	Opuntia acanthocarpa, Kingman, AZ, July 2007
Opuntia acanthocarpa, Kingman, AZ, July 2007	Opuntia acanthocarpa on hillside, Kingman, AZ, July 2007	Opuntia acanthocarpa, Kingman, AZ, July 2007
Opuntia acanthocarpa, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (Arizona)	Opuntia acanthocarpa	Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Searchlight, NV, July 2007
Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Searchlight, NV, July 2007 (close-up of plant above right)	Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Searchlight, NV, July 2007 (with small Ferocactus)	Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Searchlight, NV, July 2007
Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Searchlight, NV, July 2007	Close-up of plant at left	Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Searchlight, NV, July 2007
Few-spined Opuntia acanthocarpa in Cactus Pass (near Hackberry, AZ and Valentine, AZ) on Hwy 66	Opuntia acanthocarpa, near Searchlight, NV, July 2007	Opuntia acanthocarpa var. coloradensis (Needles, CA)
Opuntia acanthocarpa (far left) with O. echinocarpa (far right) in Searchlight, NV