Article by Ferguson and Shaw, Xerophila, 2019
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the passion for cacti and other succulents ISSN 2285 – 3987 25 August 2019 Tucson Area summary summary Opuntia The Pricklypears Dave Ferguson Joe Shaw Albuquerque, NM Germantown, MD [email protected] [email protected] hese are Opuntia species that grow to varied growing conditions. This makes quan- naturally within the greater Tucson, tifying their vegetative traits rather a slippery slope, Arizona area. They can be found because the same plant can look totally different within 30 miles of the city limits. when growing in different locations. Identification Most of these species are unstudied of these plants in the field is more easily done when or little studied. A number were de- whole populations of individuals are surveyed. scribed about 100 years ago and More information on these Opuntia species is then little noticed since then. Some available at Opuntia Web. of the most often used English common names are It is a common belief that hybridization is ram- Tgiven here, but most species will also have Spanish pant in the group and that many of the confusing common names that it has proven difficult to sort “types” are hybrids. However, when one spends to individual species. time learning them in the field, it becomes appa- Opuntias are plastic in morphology, with vege- rent that nearly all plants belong to well-defined summary tative characteristics that can be alter in response populations and that real hybrids are infrequent. Tucson Area Opuntia 37 - XEROPHILIA • Volume VIII, No. 1 (25), August 2019 | ISSN 2285-3987 Native Species in alphabetical order Opuntia arizonica Griffiths, Arizona Pricklypear, Valencia Pricklypear summary summary Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden 29: more spiny, generally with several spines per 93-94, pl.2 and 10, 1909. areole in nearly all areoles. It is very abundant Type locality: near Kirkland, Arizona in the Tucson area, particularly on the lower This species is best described as a somewhat outwash slopes of the mountains. It is abundant smaller, low spreading version of O. engelmannii. along the loop drive in the east unit of the As compared to O. engelmannii, it is also usually Saguaro National Park. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 3838 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia basilaris Engelmann and Bigelow, Beavertail Cactus summary summary Proceedings of the American Academy 3: typical variety basilaris. 298, 1857. This distinctive spineless species with pink to Type locality: Cactus Pass, east of Kingman, magenta flowers is found in the desert, mostly Arizona in the mountains, mostly well westward from A number of varieties have been named, the Tucson area, but plants have been recorded but native Tucson area plants are referred to from nearby. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 3939 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia blakeana Rose, Blake Pricklypear summary summary Contributions from the U.S. National spines relatively few, short, and usually brown. Herbarium 12: 402, 1909. Stem color is often dark and sometimes purplish Type locality: Tumamoc Hill, Tucson, Arizona or bluish. This taxon is related to O. phaeacantha This species grows as low spreading plants and O. camanchica, but recognizably distinct. with small relatively narrow pads that are often Apparently, it only grows in the Santa Cruz a bit squared off at the tip. Areoles are small, basin of Arizona. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 4040 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia camanchica Engelmann and Bigelow, Comanche Pricklypear summary summary Proceedings of the American Academy of tend to be wide, thickish, with areoles widely Arts and Sciences 3: 293, 1856/1857. spaced, and spines stout. Spines are often Type locality: near Cuervo, New Mexico dark at least at the base but may be any color Synonyms: O. phaeacantha var. brunnea from white or pale yellow to dark red, dark Engelmann 1856; O. chihuahuensis Rose 1909. purple, brown, or black. Flowers are yellow, O. camanchaca is a common, widespread, often orange or red in the center, with stigmas variable species found widely in the usually pale. Fruit is smallish and ovoid. Southwest and northern Mexico. It is often This species is found almost everywhere identified asO. phaeacantha var. major, which below the mountains that isn’t too dry, from is a distinctly different and larger plant (i.e., western Texas to southern California, and O. dulcis). It is similar to O. phaeacantha, also from southern Nevada, Utah, and Colorado being a low-spreading smallish plant. Pads south well into northern Mexico. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 4141 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia cañada Griffiths, Canyon Pricklypear summary summary Annual report Missouri Botanical Garden while they are strongly so in O. orbiculata, but 20: 90, 1909. this needs verified. This species seems to be Type locality: Florida Canyon., Santa Rita in mountain areas and sometimes the valleys Mountains, Arizona between, only in south-central Arizona and Synonyms: ?O. flavescens Peebles 1937. northern Sonora. O. cañada is not as cold hardy This species is closely related to and similar as O. orbiculata. O. flavescens from near Sells to O. orbiculata but with pads usually narrower, seems to be a synonym, as significant differences spines fewer, and with fruit often pale in color haven’t been noticed, except fruits are darker (not always). Seedlings are apparently not hairy, than those from the Santa Rita Mountain plants. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 4242 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia chlorotica Engelmann and Bigelow O. chlorotica var. chlorotica, Pancake Cactus / Pricklypear summary summary Proceedings of the American Academy of and spineless individuals. Flowers on all are Arts and Sciences 3: 291, 1856. bright yellow, only rarely with reddish centers. Type locality: Bill Williams Mountain, Ari- The Mexican O. setispina Engelmann, with zona grayish pads and usually white spines, is also a This is a widespread bushy medium-sized member of this group, and is the oldest name tree-like species (though it can be relatively (Engelmann, 1850). Our U.S. varieties will likely small or in exceptional cases can reach more eventually be treated as varieties under this than 8-ft/2,5m tall) of the southwestern US name. and northern Mexico. It takes on several • var. chlorotica, Pancake Cactus / Pricklypear appearances, mostly based on differing Synonyms: O. palmeri Engelmann ex Coulter coloration and size. The plants have been 1896. divided by some into different species, but This is the northern variety, with yellow these blend where-ever they meet and behave spines and green pads. Fruits are large and as varieties. All varieties produce both spiny usually bright red. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 4343 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia chlorotica Engelmann and Bigelow O. chlorotica var. gosseliniana (Weber) Ferguson summary summary Cactus and Succulent Journal (U.S.) 60: 159, even smaller. It is found in the Sonoran Desert 1988. and in tropical deciduous scrub, mostly further Original description: O. gosseliniana Weber, west or south than var. santa-rita. It occurs in the Bull. Soc. Acclim. France 49: 83, 1902. United Sates, but only in a limited area, and only Type locality: coast of Sonora, Mexico. some wild plants to the south and southwest This is basically a petit version of var. santa- of the Tucson area approach this variety. The rita in which the spines are even more slender, garden cultivars named ‘Tubac’ and ‘Pinta Rita’ sometimes almost hair-like, and fruits average seem closer to this variety than to var. santa-rita. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 4444 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia chlorotica Engelmann and Bigelow O. chlorotica var. santa-rita Griffiths and Hare, Purple Pricklypear summary summary New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station the same as var. chlorotica and may be the Bulletin 60: 64, 1906. same color, but usually pads tend to bluish or Type locality: Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona purplish. Synonyms: O. shreveana C.Z. Nelson 1915 Spines (if present) are usually more slender, This taxon is found in the western Sonoran often longer, and more often reddish or Desert in Arizona, Sonora, and a little bit in brownish in color. Fruits are smaller and more Chihuahua and New Mexico. It is basically purplish or pinkish. summary en or TucsonTucson Area Area Opuntia 4545 -- XEROPHILIAXEROPHILIA •• VolumeVolume VIII,VIII, No.No. 11 (25),(25), AugustAugust 20192019 || ISSNISSN 2285-39872285-3987 Opuntia confusa Griffiths, Confusing Pricklypear summary summary Proceedings of the Biological Society of them. Other pads will have only the small Washington 27(6): 28, 1914. spines and one or two whitish spines that point Type locality: Tumamoc Hill, Tucson, Arizona almost straight down. There are sometimes This is a common species in the Tucson area, intermediate conditions. Glochids are often very and is known only from south-central Arizona prominent and usually dark reddish in color. into adjacent Sonora, and also from a small The flowers are showy, opening yellow with fine population near Las Cruces in New Mexico. It orange veining, deepening in color as they age is a relatively low bushy species with rounded until orange or nearly red. When yellow first- pads that tend to be grayish in color, with spines day flowers are mixed with older varied-colored appearing black and white (actually deep brown flowers, the show can be incredible.