| Opuntia oricola | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Opuntia |
| Species: | O. oricola |
| Binomial name | |
| Opuntia oricola Philbrick | |
Opuntia oricola is a species of prickly pear cactus known by the common name chaparral prickly pear.
Opuntia oricola is a large treelike cactus often exceeding 2 meters in height. The branches are made up of rounded flat segments up to 25 centimeters long. It is covered in clusters of curved, yellowish spines usually around 2 centimeters long.
The flowers are yellow, sometimes orange-tinged. The spherical fruit is purplish red on the outside, whitish and juicy inside, and up to 6 centimeters long. It was common along the coasts and adjacent inland areas of California, but development has reduced its populations. [2]
The plant is native to southern California and Baja California, where it grows in coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats.[ citation needed ]
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