Opuntia macrorhiza

Opuntia macrorhiza
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Genus:	Opuntia
Species:	O. macrorhiza
Binomial name
Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm.
Synonyms[1]
Synonymy Opuntia compressa var. macrorhiza (Engelm.) L.D. Benson Opuntia cymochila Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow Opuntia mackensenii Rose Opuntia mesacantha var. cymochila (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) J.M. Coult. Opuntia mesacantha var. macrorhiza (Engelm.) J.M. Coult. Opuntia rafinesquei f. cymochila (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) Schelle Opuntia tortispina Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow Opuntia tortispina var. cymochila (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) Backeb. Opuntia ballii Rose Opuntia delicata Rose Opuntia filipendula Engelm. Opuntia pottsii Salm-Dyck Opuntia setispina Engelm. ex Salm-Dyck Opuntia tenuispina Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow

Opuntia macrorhiza is a common and widespread species of cactus with the common names plains prickly pear or twistspine pricklypear or Western pricklypear. It is found throughout the Great Plains of the United States, from Texas to Minnesota, as well as in the desert and Rocky Mountain states from Arizona to Idaho, with sporadic populations in the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.^[2] It is also reported from northern Mexico, in the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Durango, Tamaulipas, and San Luís Potosí.^[3][4][5] The species is cultivated as an ornamental in other locations.

The species prefers dry, sandy or gravelly soils. It is one of the shorter species of the genus, rarely over 30 cm (1 foot) tall, spreading horizontally and forming large clumps. Flowers are showy and bright yellow, sometimes with red markings near the base of the petals. Fruits are narrow, red, juicy and edible.^[6]

Several varieties have proposed within the species. More study is needed to determine whether these should continue to be recognized as varieties, elevated to species status, or regarded as mere synonyms.

References