For additional information about this specimen, please contact: Stephen Stern (sstern@coloradomesa.edu)
tonyfratesposted 2019-01-05 10:35:53
This is probably Opuntia phaeacantha or related introgressed plant; the specimen and description however are inadequate to make a positive determination. While too narrow, the naked receptacles would be an indication away from hystricina and closer to phaeacantha or an introgressed plant involving that species (which is abundant in the area). Just having a few brown spines (which phaeacantha also has) doesn't make it hystricina.