Opuntia phaeacantha

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Opuntioideae
Tribus: Opuntieae
Genus: Opuntia
Series: O. ser. Scheerianae
Species: Opuntia phaeacantha
Name

Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm., 1849
Synonyms

Opuntia phaeacantha var. phaeacantha syn. sec. Parfitt & Gibson 2003
Opuntia angustata Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 292. 1856 syn. sec. Parfitt & Gibson 2003
Opuntia camanchica Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 293. 1856 syn. sec. Hunt 2016
Opuntia phaeacantha subsp. camanchica (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Borg, Cacti, ed. 2: 96. 1951 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia phaeacantha var. camanchica (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) L.D.Benson in Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 41(3): 125. 1969 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia dulcis Engelm. in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 291. 1856 syn. sec. Guzmán Cruz & al. 2003
Opuntia lindheimeri var. dulcis (Engelm.) J.M.Coult. in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 3(7): 421. 1896 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia engelmannii var. dulcis (Engelm.) J.M.Coult. ex K.Schum., Gesamtbeschr. Kakt.: 725. 1898 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia engelmannii var. cyclodes Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 291. 1856 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia lindheimeri var. cyclodes (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) J.M.Coult. in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 3(7): 422. 1896 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia cyclodes (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 13(9): 309. 1911 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia mojavensis Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 293. 1856 syn. sec. Guzmán Cruz & al. 2003
Opuntia mohavensis Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow in Pacif. Railr. Rep. Parke, Bot. 4(5): t. 9, f. 6-8. 1857 syn. sec. Hunt 2016
Opuntia platyacantha f. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Schelle, Kakteen: 72. 1926 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia phaeacantha var. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Fosberg in Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 33: 103. 1934 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia phaeacantha subsp. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Guiggi in Cactology 3 (Suppl. II): 3. 2012 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia phaeacantha var. brunnea Engelm. in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 293. 1856 syn. sec. Parfitt & Gibson 2003
Opuntia phaeacantha f. brunnea (Engelm.) Schelle, Kakteen: 72. 1926 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia phaeacantha var. major Engelm. in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 293. 1856 syn. sec. Parfitt & Gibson 2003
Opuntia phaeacantha var. nigricans Engelm. in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 293. 1856 syn. sec. Guzmán Cruz & al. 2003
Opuntia procumbens Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 3: 292. 1856 syn. sec. Guzmán Cruz & al. 2003
Opuntia comanchica Urlandt in Neubert's Deutsch. Gart.-Mag. 40: 156. 1887 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia rubrifolia Engelm. ex J.M.Coult. in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 3: 424. 1896 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia blakeana Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 402. 1909 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia canada Griffiths, Ill. Stud. Opuntia: 90–91, t. 6, lower f., t. 2, f. 6, t. 13, f. 2, 12. 1909 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia laevis var. canada (Griffiths) Peebles in Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 9: 68. 1937 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia chihuahuensis Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12(7): 291–292. 1909 syn. sec. Hunt 2016
Opuntia phaeacantha var. chihuahuensis (Rose) Bravo in Cact. Suc. Mex. 19(2): 47. 1974 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia gilvescens Griffiths in Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard.: 87–88. 1909 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia toumeyi Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 402. 1909 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia wootonii Griffiths in Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 21: 171. 1910 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia engelmannii var. wootonii (Griffiths) Fosberg in Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 30: 71. 1931 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia phaeacantha var. wootonii (Griffiths) L.D.Benson in Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 41(3): 125. 1969 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia gregoriana Griffiths in Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 22: 26. 1912 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia confusa Griffiths in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 27: 28. 1914 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia eocarpa Griffiths in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 29: 11. 1916 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia recurvospina Griffiths in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 29: 12. 1916 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia superbospina Griffiths in Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 29(3): 13. 1916 syn. sec. Parfitt & Gibson 2003
Opuntia phaeacantha var. superbospina (Griffiths) L.D.Benson in Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 46: 79. 1974 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia zuniensis Griffiths in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 43(2): 86–87. 1916 syn. sec. Tropicos
Opuntia phaeacantha var. castorea S.L.Welsh & N.D.Atwood, Utah Fl., ed. 3: 75. 2003 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Opuntia mesacantha var. sphaerocarpa J.M.Coult. ex Wooton & Standl. in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 19: 446. 1915, nom. inval., syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
References
Primary references

Engelmann, G., 1849. Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 4:52. 1849 (Pl. fendler.)

Additional references

Korotkova, N., Aquino, D., Arias, S., Eggli, U., Franck, A. , Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Guerrero, P.C., Hernández, H.M., Kohlbecker, A., Köhler, M., Luther, K., Majure, L.C., Müller, A., Metzing, D., Nyffeler, R., Sánchez, D., Schlumpberger, B. & Berendsohn, W.G. 2021. Cactaceae at Caryophyllales. org–a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. Willdenowia 51(2): 251–270. DOI: 10.3372/wi.51.51208 Open access Reference page.

Links

Korotkova, N. et al. 2022. Opuntia phaeacantha in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2022 Jan 15. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2022. Opuntia phaeacantha in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2022 Jan 15. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2022. Opuntia phaeacantha. Published online. Accessed: Jan 15 2022.
Tropicos.org 2022. Opuntia phaeacantha. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2022 Jan 15.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Jan 15 in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 2022.

Vernacular names
English: Tulip prickly pear, brownspine pricklypear, desert prickly-pear
español: Nopal pardo
magyar: Coloradói fügekaktusz
lietuvių: Kalninė opuncija
Opuntia phaeacantha is a species of prickly pear cactus known by the common names tulip prickly pear and desert prickly pear found across the southwestern United States, lower Great Plains, and northern Mexico. The plant forms dense but localized thickets. Several varieties of this particular species occur, and it also hybridizes easily with other prickly pears, making identification sometimes tricky.

Description

Opuntia phaeacantha has a mounding habit of flattened green pads. The pads are protected by clusters of spines. Each cluster bearing 1-4 spines. The spines are brown, reddish-brown, or gray, and often over 3 cm in length. At the base of the spine cluster is a round tuft of easily detached brown bristles called Glochids. Glochids are also present on the fruit. This is the source for the plants common name "prickly pear".

The flowers are bright yellow with a pale green center. Some plants produce yellow flowers with an orange-red center. The edible fruits are red or purple with a pink seedy flesh. The fruit has a mild watermelon or pear flavor. Both the fruit and the fleshy pads provide an important food resource for desert wildlife.

This plant, like other Opuntia species, is attacked by cactus moth.

Older names for this species, and names for old species which are now considered variants of this species, include plateau prickly pear, brown-spined prickly-pear, Mojave prickly pear, and Kingman prickly pear.

The species is widespread, from California south to Mexico and the Southwest United States. There are multiple variations and perhaps these will be described as varieties or full species some day.[2]
Uses

The cactus can be prepared as food in a similar fashion to Opuntia humifusa.[3]
References

Terry, M., Heil, K., Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Corral-Díaz, R. 2017. Opuntia phaeacantha (amended version of 2013 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T152851A121613191. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T152851A121613191.en. Downloaded on 16 September 2021.
"Opuntia phaeacantha". Opuntia Web.
Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC 244766414.