Opuntia (prickly pear genus)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Core Eudicots > Order: Caryophyllales > Familty: Cactaceae

About 187 species (North and South America), with 11 species naturalised in southern Africa, and a further 10 species that are cultivated in the region.

Species naturalised in southern Africa

List from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI) with some nomenclatural changes and adding in Opuntia monacantha and Opuntia humifusa, which are evidently naturalised in South Africa (Zimmermann et al. 2004). Opuntia vulgaris is removed because according to the Declared List of Invaders, Opuntia monacantha has previously been incorrectly identified as Opuntia vulgaris. For Opuntia rosea, see Cylindropuntia fulgida. For Opuntia exaltata, see Austrocylindropuntia subulata; for Opuntia imbricata, see Cylindropuntia imbricata; for Opuntia leptocaulis, see Cylindropuntia leptocaulis.

Opuntia aurantiaca (Jointed cactus) A declared Category 1 invasive plant in South Africa.
Opuntia engelmannii (Engelmann's prickly pear, Calico cactus) [= Opuntia tardospina, Opuntia lindheimeri] Native to southern USA. Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri (Texas prickly pear) is a declared Category 1 invasive plant in South Africa (listed as Opuntia lindheimeri).
Opuntia ficus-indica (Mission prickly pear, Sweet prickly pear, Boereturksvy, Grootdoringturksvy) A declared Category 1 invasive plant in South Africa. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Opuntia humifusa (Large flowered prickly pear, Creeping prickly pear) A declared Category 1 invasive plants in South Africa.
Opuntia microdasys (Bunny ears, Polka dot cactus) Native to Mexico.
Opuntia monacantha (Cochineal prickly pear, Drooping prickly pear, Suurturksvy, Luisiesturksvy) [= Opuntia vulgaris] A declared Category 1 invasive plants in South Africa.
Opuntia robusta (Nopal tapón, Bartolona, Silver dollar) Native to Mexico.
Opuntia salmiana
Opuntia spinulifera (Saucepan cactus, Large roundleaved prickly pear,Blouturksvy, Groot rondeblaar turksvy) A declared Category 1 invasive plant in South Africa.
Opuntia stricta (Pest pear of Australia, Suurturksvy) [= Opuntia macrantha] Native from the southern USA to Venezuela. A declared Category 1 invasive plant in South Africa.

Other species, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002). The names of the following species listed by Glen have changed:

• Opuntia bulbispina is now known as Grusonia bulbispina;

• Opuntia clavarioides is now known as Maihueniopsis clavarioides (see Cactaceae main page);

• Opuntia cochenillifera is now known as Nopalea cochenillifera;

• Opuntia cylindrica is now known as Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica 

• Opuntia kleiniae is now known as Cylindropuntia kleiniae;

• Opuntia moelleri is now known as Grusonia moelleri;

• Opuntia pachypus is now known as Austrocylindropuntia pachypus;

• Opuntia serpentina is now known as Cylindropuntia californica;

• Opuntia strobiliformis is now known as Tephrocactus articulatus (see Cactaceae main page);

• Opuntia subulata is now known as Austrocylindropuntia subulata;

• Opuntia verschaffeltii is now known as Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii;

• Opuntia vestita is now known as Austrocylindropuntia vestita;

• Opuntia whipplei is now known as Cylindropuntia whipplei;

Publications

• Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.

• Glen, H.F. 2003. Cactaceae. In Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds), Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 335-336. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria. 

• Zimmermann H.G., Bloem S. and Klein H. 2004. Biology, History, Threat, Surveillance and Control of the Cactus Moth, Cactoblastis cactorum. IAEA, Vienna.