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Home/Species/ New Mexico Prickly-pear

Opuntia phaeacantha

Engelm.

New Mexico Prickly-pear

G5Secure Found in 72 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146302
Element CodePDCAC0D0Z0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyCactaceae
GenusOpuntia
Other Common Names
tulip pricklypear (EN) Tulip Prickly-pear (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Distinct species.
Conservation Status
Review Date2003-02-28
Change Date1991-01-24
Edition Date1988-02-02
Edition AuthorsLAMBERT, A.
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Widespread and common throughout the western and mid-western United States.
Range Extent Comments
It occurs in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, California, Nevada, South Dakota, Kansas, Louisiana, and Mexico.
Occurrences Comments
150+ EO's (Benson 1982).
Threat Impact Comments
Most cacti subject to horticultural collecting.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Sandy or rocky soils of hills, flats, valleys, and canyons in woodlands and grasslands, desert; cliffs, canyon walls.

Reproduction

Opuntias produce sexual and asexual seeds, exchanging genetic material occasionally while continuing to disperse asexually; these adaptations allow the plants to adapt to stressful environments. All Opuntias produce fleshy fruits that are dispersed by animals and many Opuntias are known to be self-dispersed, in addition (Valiente-Banuet and Godinez-Alvarez 2002). This species is self-compatible but cross-pollination is more reliable for the production of viable seeds (Osborn et al. 1988).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TexasSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
New MexicoS5Yes
KansasSNRYes
UtahS3Yes
NevadaSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
ArizonaS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
Navajo NationS5Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (72)
Arizona (26)
AreaForestAcres
Arnold MesaPrescott National Forest12,286
Big RidgeKaibab National Forest9,087
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Burro CanyonKaibab National Forest19,928
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
FritschePrescott National Forest14,190
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
Grief HillPrescott National Forest12,535
Hell HoleApache-Sitgreaves National Forests15,512
HellsgateTonto National Forest6,171
Horse MesaTonto National Forest9,146
Lime CreekTonto National Forest42,568
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
Pine Mountain Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest6,518
Red PointKaibab National Forest7,139
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
Willis CanyonKaibab National Forest9,688
California (17)
AreaForestAcres
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
Cahuilla MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,952
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
SugarloafSan Bernardino National Forest8,206
Colorado (1)
AreaForestAcres
HermosaSan Juan NF148,103
Nevada (7)
AreaForestAcres
Angel Peak NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,577
Angel Peak SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest6,540
Charleston - CarpenterHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest17,828
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
La Madre - TroutHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,101
Lovell Summit SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,455
PotosiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,145
New Mexico (11)
AreaForestAcres
Bull CanyonCarson National Forest11,512
Candian RiverCibola National Forest7,149
Hell HoleGila National Forest19,553
Juan de Gabaldon GrantSanta Fe National Forest8,023
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
Nichols ReservoirSanta Fe National Forest1,518
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
Thompson PeakSanta Fe National Forest33,001
Tucson MountainLincoln National Forest16,905
Virgin CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,068
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
Utah (10)
AreaForestAcres
Boulder Mtn. / Boulder Top / Deer LakeDixie National Forest110,690
Box - Death HollowDixie National Forest3,175
Capital ReefDixie National Forest763
Cedar BenchDixie National Forest8,915
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Lookout PeakFishlake National Forest9,195
Mcdonald BasinFishlake National Forest1,585
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
Stoddard MountainDixie National Forest13,165
References (7)
  1. Anderson, E. F. 2001. The Cactus Family. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 760 pp.
  2. California Native Plant Society (CNPS). 2001. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California (sixth edition). Rare Plant Scientific Advisory Committee, David P. Tibor, Convening Editor. California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. x + 388pp.
  3. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2003b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 4, Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 559 pp.
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  6. Osborn, M.M., P.G. Kevan, and M.A. Lane. 1988. Pollination biology of <i>Opuntia polyacantha</i> and <i>Opuntia phaeacantha</i> (Cactaceae) in southern Colorado. Plant Systematics and Evolution 159: 85-94.
  7. Valiente-Banuet, A., and H. Godinez-Alvarez. 2002. Population and Community Ecology. Pages 91-108. in: P. Nobel, editor. Cacti: Biology and Uses. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.