Opuntia phaeacantha

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.

Opuntia phaeacantha
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Opuntia
Species:
O. phaeacantha
Binomial name
Opuntia phaeacantha

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 and 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.[1]

Uses

The cactus can be prepared as food in a similar fashion to Opuntia humifusa.[2]

References
  1. "Opuntia phaeacantha". Opuntia Web.
  2. 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.
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