160 Species in Genus Opuntia

My Fascination with Opuntia: A World of Prickly Pears

As a nature enthusiast, I’ve always been drawn to the unique beauty and resilience of cacti. Among them, the genus Opuntia, commonly known as prickly pear, holds a special place in my heart. These remarkable plants, with their distinctive flat pads and vibrant flowers, have captivated me with their ability to thrive in harsh environments and their surprising versatility.

A Diverse and Widespread Genus

Opuntia is a large genus belonging to the cactus family, Cactaceae. It encompasses a remarkable diversity of species, with estimates 160. These species vary greatly in size and form, from low-growing shrubs to tree-like giants reaching over 16 feet in height. Their defining feature, however, is their flattened, segmented stems, often referred to as cladodes or pads. These pads not only serve as the plant’s primary photosynthetic organs but also play a crucial role in water storage, enabling them to survive in arid and semi-arid regions.

The geographic distribution of Opuntia is equally impressive. While native to the Americas, these hardy plants have successfully colonized diverse habitats across the globe. From the frigid plains of Canada to the scorching deserts of South America, and even reaching parts of Europe, Africa, and Australia, Opuntia species have demonstrated an exceptional ability to adapt and thrive.

A Bounty of Benefits

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, Opuntia species offer a wealth of practical uses. For centuries, various cultures have utilized these plants for food, medicine, and even as a source of dye. The fruits, often called “tunas,” are juicy and sweet, consumed fresh or processed into jams, jellies, and beverages. The young pads, known as “nopales,” are also edible and are a popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine.

In traditional medicine, Opuntia has been employed to treat a variety of ailments, including wounds, burns, and digestive issues. Modern research has further validated some of these medicinal properties, revealing the plant’s potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and even anti-cancer effects.

Moreover, certain Opuntia species play a vital role in the production of cochineal dye. This vibrant red dye, derived from the cochineal insect that feeds on the plants, has been used for centuries to color textiles and cosmetics.

A Closer Look at Species List

1. Opuntia abjecta Small ex Britton & Rose
2. Opuntia aciculata Griffiths
3. Opuntia × aequatorialis Britton & Rose
4. Opuntia × alta Griffiths
5. Opuntia altomagdalenensis Xhonneux
6. Opuntia amarilla Griffiths
7. Opuntia anahuacensis Griffiths
8. Opuntia × andersonii H.M.Hern., Gómez-Hin. & Bárcenas
9. Opuntia arechavaletae Speg.
10. Opuntia atrispina Griffiths
11. Opuntia auberi Pfeiff.
12. Opuntia aurantiaca Lindl.
13. Opuntia aurea E.M.Baxter
14. Opuntia aureispina (S.Brack & K.D.Heil) Pinkava & B.D.Parfitt
15. Opuntia austrina Small
16. Opuntia azurea Rose
17. Opuntia basilaris Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
18. Opuntia bonaerensis Speg.
19. Opuntia bonplandii (Kunth) F.A.C.Weber
20. Opuntia bravoana E.M.Baxter
21. Opuntia caboensis F.Mercado & León de la Luz
22. Opuntia camanchica Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
23. Opuntia canterae Arechav.
24. Opuntia caracassana Salm-Dyck
25. Opuntia × carstenii R.Puente & C.Hamann
26. Opuntia cespitosa Raf.
27. Opuntia chaffeyi Britton & Rose
28. Opuntia × charlestonensis Clokey
29. Opuntia chiangiana Scheinvar & Manzanero
30. Opuntia chisosensis (M.S.Anthony) D.J.Ferguson
31. Opuntia chlorotica Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
32. Opuntia clarkiorum Rebman
33. Opuntia cochenillifera (L.) Mill.
34. Opuntia × cochinera Griffiths
35. Opuntia × coloradensis D.J.Barnett & Donnie Barnett
36. Opuntia × columbiana Griffiths
37. Opuntia crassa Haw.
38. Opuntia × cristalensis Oakley, Font & M.Köhler
39. Opuntia crystalenia Griffiths
40. Opuntia cubensis Britton & Rose
41. Opuntia curassavica (L.) Mill.
42. Opuntia curvispina Griffiths
43. Opuntia deamii Rose
44. Opuntia × debreczyi Szutorisz
45. Opuntia decumbens Salm-Dyck
46. Opuntia dejecta Salm-Dyck
47. Opuntia delafuentiana Martínez-Gonz., Luna-Vega, Gallegos & García-Sand.
48. Opuntia × demissa Griffiths
49. Opuntia depressa Rose
50. Opuntia diploursina Stock, N.Hussey & Beckstrom
51. Opuntia discolor Britton & Rose
52. Opuntia drummondii Graham
53. Opuntia dulcis Engelm.
54. Opuntia eichlamii Rose
55. Opuntia elata Link & Otto ex Salm-Dyck
56. Opuntia elatior Mill.
57. Opuntia elizondoana E.Sánchez & Villaseñor
58. Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelm.
59. Opuntia erinacea Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
60. Opuntia escuintlensis (Matuda) Lodé
61. Opuntia excelsa Sánchez-Mej.
62. Opuntia feroacantha Britton & Rose
63. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.
64. Opuntia fragilis (Nutt.) Haw.
65. Opuntia fuliginosa Griffiths
66. Opuntia galapageia Hensl.
67. Opuntia gallegiana Scheinvar & Olalde
68. Opuntia gosseliniana F.A.C.Weber
69. Opuntia guatemalensis Britton & Rose
70. Opuntia guilanchi Griffiths
71. Opuntia hitchcockii J.G.Ortega
72. Opuntia hondurensis Standl.
73. Opuntia howeyi J.A.Purpus
74. Opuntia huajuapensis Bravo
75. Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf.
76. Opuntia hyptiacantha F.A.C.Weber
77. Opuntia inaequilateralis A.Berger
78. Opuntia inaperta (Schott ex Griffiths) D.R.Hunt
79. Opuntia jaliscana Bravo
80. Opuntia jamaicensis Britton & Harris
81. Opuntia kingstoniana Guiggi
82. Opuntia lagunae E.M.Baxter
83. Opuntia lasiacantha Pfeiff.
84. Opuntia leucotricha DC.
85. Opuntia littoralis (Engelm.) Cockerell
86. Opuntia lutea (Rose) D.R.Hunt
87. Opuntia mackensenii Rose
88. Opuntia macrocentra Engelm.
89. Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm.
90. Opuntia mantaroensis Guiggi
91. Opuntia martiniana (L.D.Benson) B.D.Parfitt
92. Opuntia matudae Scheinvar
93. Opuntia maxima Mill.
94. Opuntia megacantha Salm-Dyck
95. Opuntia megapotamica Arechav.
96. Opuntia megarrhiza Rose
97. Opuntia mesacantha Raf.
98. Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) Pfeiff.
99. Opuntia militaris Britton & Rose
100. Opuntia monacanthos (Willd.) Haw.
101. Opuntia nemoralis Griffiths
102. Opuntia nicholii L.D.Benson
103. Opuntia × occidentalis Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
104. Opuntia ochrocentra Small ex Britton & Rose
105. Opuntia orbiculata Salm-Dyck ex Pfeiff.
106. Opuntia oricola Philbrick
107. Opuntia pachyrrhiza H.M.Hern., Gómez-Hin. & Bárcenas
108. Opuntia parviclada S.Arias & Gama
109. Opuntia peckii J.A.Purpus
110. Opuntia perotensis Scheinvar, Olalde & Gallegos
111. Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm.
112. Opuntia pilifera F.A.C.Weber
113. Opuntia pinkavae B.D.Parfitt
114. Opuntia pittieri Britton & Rose
115. Opuntia polyacantha Haw.
116. Opuntia pottsii Salm-Dyck
117. Opuntia preciadoae Scheinvar, Olalde, Gallegos & J.Morales S.
118. Opuntia puberula Pfeiff.
119. Opuntia pubescens H.L.Wendl. ex Pfeiff.
120. Opuntia pycnantha Engelm.
121. Opuntia quimilo K.Schum.
122. Opuntia quitensis F.A.C.Weber
123. Opuntia rastrera F.A.C.Weber
124. Opuntia repens Bello
125. Opuntia retrorsa Speg.
126. Opuntia ritteri A.Berger
127. Opuntia robinsonii J.G.Ortega
128. Opuntia robusta H.L.Wendl. ex Pfeiff.
129. Opuntia × rooneyi M.P.Griff.
130. Opuntia rufida Engelm.
131. Opuntia rzedowskii Scheinvar
132. Opuntia sanguinea Proctor
133. Opuntia scheeri F.A.C.Weber
134. Opuntia schumannii F.A.C.Weber ex A.Berger
135. Opuntia setocarpa Arreola-Nava, Guzm.-Hern. & Cuevas
136. Opuntia sierralagunensis León de la Luz & F.Mercado
137. Opuntia soederstromiana Britton & Rose
138. Opuntia spinosibacca M.S.Anthony
139. Opuntia spinulifera Salm-Dyck
140. Opuntia stenarthra K.Schum.
141. Opuntia stenopetala Engelm.
142. Opuntia streptacantha Lem.
143. Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw.
144. Opuntia strigil Engelm.
145. Opuntia sulphurea G.Don ex Salm-Dyck
146. Opuntia tapona Engelm. ex J.M.Coult.
147. Opuntia tehuacana S.Arias & U.Guzmán
148. Opuntia tehuantepecana (Bravo) Bravo
149. Opuntia tezontepecana Gallegos & Scheinvar
150. Opuntia tomentosa Salm-Dyck
151. Opuntia tortispina Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
152. Opuntia triacanthos (Willd.) Sweet
153. Opuntia tuna (L.) Mill.
154. Opuntia tunoidea Gibbes
155. Opuntia × vaseyi (J.M.Coult.) Britton & Rose
156. Opuntia velutina F.A.C.Weber
157. Opuntia wilcoxii Britton & Rose
158. Opuntia × woodburyi (W.H.Earle ex S.L.Welsh) Stock
159. Opuntia zacuapanensis A.Berger
160. Opuntia zamudioi Scheinvar

Facing the Challenges

Despite their resilience, Opuntia species are not immune to threats. Habitat loss, overgrazing, and the introduction of invasive species have all contributed to the decline of some populations. Climate change also poses a significant challenge, as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns can affect the plants’ growth and survival.

Conservation efforts are crucial to ensure the continued existence of these valuable plants. Protecting their natural habitats, promoting sustainable harvesting practices, and raising awareness about their importance are all essential steps in safeguarding Opuntia for future generations.

A Continuing Journey of Discovery

My fascination with Opuntia continues to grow with each passing day. I am constantly amazed by their adaptability, their beauty, and their multifaceted contributions to both human societies and the natural world. As I continue to learn more about these remarkable plants, I am filled with a sense of wonder and appreciation for the intricate web of life that connects us all.