Opuntia littoralis — *Opuntia* *littoralis*

(Engelmann) Britton & Rose, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 50: 529, 1908

Lectotype; Syntype; Lectotype; Lectotype; Lectotype; Lectotype

Original Citation

What is Opuntia littoralis?

Opuntia littoralis is a California prickly pear cactus that was originally described as a variety of O. engelmannii, but the two species are not closely related.

See GenBank locus MW419601.

Details

O. littoralis plants may be low and spreading, but they send branches upright to 1 m as well. The oblong or obicular cladodes are 12-15 cm across the shortest diameter. Areoles may be elevated. Spines are numerous and yellow or pale yellow and may be 1 cm long or longer. There are multiple pale spines over much of the pad surface creating a shaggy look.

The flowers are yellow and 8 to 12 cm across. The red fruit is may be nearly globular or can be oblong. Seeds are 4-5 mm in diameter.

Opuntia littoralis may be hexaploid.

Other Notes

O. littoralis is found “along and near” the coast of California, but Britton and Rose reported that a sample was collected at Elsinore, California. The type locality is “coast from Santa Barbara to San Diego, California”.