Opuntia oricola
| Opuntia oricola | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Opuntia |
| Species: | O. oricola
|
| Binomial name | |
| Opuntia oricola Philbrick
| |
Opuntia oricola is a species of prickly pear cactus known by the common name chaparral prickly pear. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it grows in coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats.
Description[]
Opuntia oricola is a large treelike cactus often exceeding 2 meters in height. The branches are made up of rounded flat segments up to 25 centimeters long. It is covered in clusters of curved, yellowish spines usually around 2 centimeters long.
The flowers are yellow, sometimes orange-tinged. The spherical fruit is purplish red on the outside, whitish and juicy inside, and up to 6 centimeters long. It was common along the coasts and adjacent inland areas of California, but development has reduced its populations.[2]
References[]
- ^ Pinkava, D.J., Baker, M. & Puente, R. 2017. Opuntia oricola (amended version of 2013 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T152768A121609318. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T152768A121609318.en. Downloaded on 16 September 2021.
- ^ "Opuntia oricola". Opuntia Web.
External links[]
- Jepson Manual Treatment: Opuntia oricola
- Opuntia oricola Photo gallery
- Opuntia oricola photo gallery at Opuntia Web
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- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Opuntia
- Cacti of Mexico
- Cacti of the United States
- Flora of California
- Flora of Baja California
- Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
- Natural history of the Channel Islands of California
- Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges
- Natural history of the Santa Monica Mountains
- Natural history of the Transverse Ranges
- Santa Ana Mountains
- Cactus stubs