Opuntia engelmannii var. littoralis Engelmann 1876
Opuntia semispinosa Griffiths 1916
Opuntia littoralis var. austrocalifornica L. D. Benson & Walkington 1965
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Opuntia littoralis (Engelmann) Cockerell 1905 Coast prickly pear, sprawling prickly pear
The coastal prickly pear is a native of northern Baja California and southern California. It is a common sight in the Laguna Beach area. Identification: These cacti are low 12-24" (30-60 cm) and shrublike, and have some long, rigid spines, as well as short, hairlike spines called glochids. It is the short ones, which detach easily, that can be painful and difficult to remove. Stem segments are roughly oval in shape, 2½-12" (7-30 cm) × 1¾-4" (5-10 cm). Flowers are yellow or orange-yellow, sometimes with some red, sometimes red or shades of purple. See this Opuntia comparison table.
Coastal prickly pear fruit, from the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Berkeley, CA. By Stan Shebs. References:
Anderson, Edward F., The Cactus Family, Timber Press, 2001, p. 505 Online References:
The Natural History of Orange County, California Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants Opuntia littoralis description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
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2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Park, La Jolla, California
2/24/2010 · San Diego (Quail) Botanic Garden, Encinitas, California Range:
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