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Plant Profile

Sand Prickly-pear (Opuntia arenaria)

Opuntia arenaria, east side of the Rio Grande Valley west of the North Franklin Mountains, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, 23 Apr 2016.

 Photo Credit: Patrick Alexander
  • Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Cactaceae
  • State: NM, TX
  • Nature Serve ID: 151940
  • Lifeform: Shrub
  • Categories of Interest: Cacti/Succulents
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 07/03/2023
Description:

Opuntia arenaria is a diploid pricklypear, previously considered a subspecies of the tetraploid Opuntia polyacantha. This pricklypear has yellow flowers and glochids on its roots and is considered to have morphological stability

Where is Sand Prickly-pear (Opuntia arenaria) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Sandy soils of barrens or semi-stabilized sand dunes at elevations of 1,150-1,350 m in semi-desert grasslands and Chihuahuan desert scrub (New Mexico Rare Plant Technical Council 2019, FNA 2003b, Sivinski and Lightfoot 1994, NatureServe)

Distribution:

Along the Rio Grande River and Rio Grande Valley in southcentral New Mexico, western Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico.

States & Provinces:

Sand Prickly-pear can be found in New Mexico, Texas

Which CPC Partners conserve Sand Prickly-pear (Opuntia arenaria)?

  • Desert Botanical Garden

    Not Sponsored
    Conservation Actions
    Assigned 07/06/23
    • CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

    Conservation Actions

    Tina Stanley
    • 07/10/2023
      • Seed Collection Orthodox Seed Banking

    Desert Botanical Garden has collected seed from this species from the wild and holds it in orthodox seed banking.

    Be the first to post an update!

    Nomenclature
    Taxon Opuntia arenaria
    Authority Engelm.
    Family Cactaceae
    CPC Number 3015
    ITIS 19690
    USDA OPPOA
    Duration Perennial
    Common Names Sand Prickly-pear | El Paso Prickly-pear | Dune prickly-pear
    Associated Scientific Names Opuntia arenaria | Opuntia polyacantha var. arenaria
    Distribution Along the Rio Grande River and Rio Grande Valley in southcentral New Mexico, western Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico.
    State Rank
    State State Rank
    New Mexico S2
    Texas S2
    Ecological Relationships

    Photos

    Opuntia arenaria, east side of the Rio Grande Valley west of the North Franklin Mountains, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, 23 Apr 2016.

    Photo Credit: Patrick Alexander

    Opuntia arenaria flower closeup, east side of the Rio Grande Valley west of the North Franklin Mountains, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, 23 Apr 2016.

    Photo Credit: Patrick Alexander

    Opuntia arenaria near Black Mountain, south of Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, 7 Dec 2014.

    Photo Credit: Patrick Alexander

    Opuntia arenaria near Black Mountain, south of Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, 7 Dec 2014.

    Photo Credit: Patrick Alexander

    Desert Botanical Garden staff collecting seed from Opuntia arenaria for conservation collection.

    Photo Credit: Steve Blackwell
    Pollinators
    Common Name Name in Text Association Type Source InteractionID
    Bees
    Chimney bees Diadasia Confirmed Pollinator Link
    Leaf-cutting bees Lithurgis Confirmed Pollinator Link
    Long-horned bees Melissodea Confirmed Pollinator Link
    Bumble bees Bombus Confirmed Pollinator Link
    Sweat bees Agapostemon Confirmed Pollinator Link
    Leaf-cutting bees Megachile Confirmed Pollinator Link
    Butterflies & Moths
    Hairstreaks Callophrys gryneus siva Floral Visitor Link
    Skippers Hesperia pahaska Floral Visitor Link
    Skippers Hesperia pahaska martini Floral Visitor Link
    Skippers Hesperia uncas Floral Visitor Link
    Skippers Hesperia viridis Floral Visitor Link
    Skippers Notamblyscirtes simius Floral Visitor Link
    Skippers Polites (Yvretta) rhesus Floral Visitor Link
    Skippers Stinga morrisoni Floral Visitor Link

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