The colors below indicate the kind of documentation available for this species
in the California counties where it occurs.
Prickly Pear Opuntia phaeacantha (Cactaceae)
The large green oval vegetative structures or pads are actually flattened photosynthetic stems that are covered with a waxy cuticle enabling the plants to withstand long periods of drought. Following pollination, the flower gives way to a large juicy fruit. Native Americans boil the fruit into a highly prized sauce. A related species, Opuntia cochenillifera, is cultivated because it attracts cochineal insects (scale insects). These insects are ground up to produce carmine dye which is a pigment used for food coloring and paints.
DISTRIBUTION: Many habitats from the Outer South Coast Ranges to the San Bernardino and E Peninsular Ranges to the Sonoran Desert and mt. ranges of the Desert Province; 45-2220 m.
