Opuntia

110 species Cactaceae

Morphological Summary

THE TYPE GENUS OF THE CACTACEAE FAMILY. The classic "nopal" or "prickly pear" — one of the most important plant genera in the Americas, with more than 200 species distributed from Canada to Patagonia. Characterized by CLADODES (flattened pads), GLOCHIDS (tiny hooked spines in tufts that embed in skin), variable true spines, yellow to red flowers, and fleshy fruits (prickly pears/tunas). Of exceptional agricultural, gastronomic, and cultural importance in Mexico: the pads (nopales) and fruits (tunas) are staple foods commercially traded worldwide. Also fundamental in cochineal dye production (Dactylopius coccus) on O. cochenillifera and relatives. The name "Opuntia" derives from the ancient region of Opus, Greece, where Pliny the Elder described a spiny plant (though not the same as the American cactus).

Distribution Americas (from Canada and northern USA to Argentina and Chile): all habitat types from deserts and coasts to mountain forests and pampas. Introduced in Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia.

Conservation CITES Appendix II. Most species stable; some island endemics or restricted-habitat species threatened.

sort_by_alpha A–Z 110 Results

Opuntia

Morphological Summary

Opuntia aciculata

Opuntia aciculata Griffiths

Opuntia airampo Phil.

Opuntia alexanderi Britton & Rose

Opuntia anacantha Speg.

Opuntia aurantiaca Lindl.

Opuntia azurea

Opuntia azurea M.E.Jones

Opuntia basilaris

Opuntia basilaris Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow

Opuntia cacanapa 'Ellisiana'

Opuntia chlorotica

Opuntia chlorotica Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow

Opuntia cochenillifera

Opuntia cochenillifera (L.) Mill.

Opuntia compressa

Opuntia compressa f. cristata

Opuntia darwinii Hensl.

Opuntia dillenii (Ker Gawl.) Haw.

Opuntia echios

Opuntia echios J.T.Howell

Opuntia elatior

Opuntia engelmannii

Opuntia engelmannii f. cristata

Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelm.

Opuntia erinacea

Opuntia erinacea Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow

Opuntia exaltata

Opuntia exaltata A.Berger

Opuntia ficus-indica

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Amarilla sin espina'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Blanca sin espina'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Burbank Spineless'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Burrona'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Cardona'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Copena F1'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Copena V1'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Cristalina'

Opuntia ficus-indica f. cristata

Opuntia ficus-indica f. variegata

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Italia'

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Morada'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Naranjona'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Pelona'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Reyna'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Roja sin espina'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Sanguigna'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'San Martin'

Opuntia ficus-indica 'Villanueva'

Opuntia gosseliniana

Opuntia gosseliniana F.A.C.Weber

Opuntia humifusa

Opuntia humifusa f. cristata

Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf.

Opuntia imbricata

Opuntia leptocaulis

Opuntia leucotricha

Opuntia leucotricha DC.

Opuntia leucotricha f. variegata

Opuntia lindheimeri

Opuntia lindheimeri Engelm.

Opuntia littoralis

Opuntia macrocentra

Opuntia macrocentra 'Dark Knight'

Opuntia macrocentra Engelm.

Opuntia macrorhiza

Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm.

Opuntia microdasys

Opuntia microdasys 'Albispina'

Opuntia microdasys f. cristata

Opuntia microdasys f. monstruosa

Opuntia microdasys f. variegata

Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) Pfeiff.

Opuntia microdasys 'Minima'

Opuntia microdasys 'Pallida'

Opuntia microdasys 'Rufida'

Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.