General: Western Pricklypear Cactus (Opuntia diploursina) is a tall (to 2 ft) pricklypear with upright growing, oblong pads. Spine clusters on the pads are many and packed close together. Usually there are several small spines and one long spine per cluster. The longer spines often exceed 2 inches, but they can grow quite long. The flowers usually are yellow, but can be pink to red. The fruit is a dry, spiny bur.

Western Pricklypear Cactus is a locally common (uncommon overall, but can be abundant in certain areas) component of vegetation communities on well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils along washes, canyons, and on upper bajadas and moderate slopes into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zone.

Around Las Vegas, this cactus is found at middle elevations in the deserts of Clark County. Look for them in Gold Butte National Monument or in the foothills of the Mormon Mountains.

Family: Cactus (Cactaceae).

Other Names: Formerly part of Grizzlybear Cactus (Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea), Opuntia erinacea var. ursina.

Plant Form: Upright shrub spreading from the ground.

Height: To about 24-inches tall.

Trunk: None.

Stems: Divided into segments; flat, oblong. To about 7-inches long and 4-inches wide.

Spines: Areoles tightly packed. Usually one central and several radial spines per areole. Spines straw to reddish. Central spines 1-2 inches long (to 6 inches on older parts of the plant).

Glochids: Present.

Flowers: Blooms late spring and early summer. Inflorescence: Solitary from upper edge of pads. Flower: yellow to magenta, about 2-inches diameter; filaments white, style white, stigma green.

Fruit: Spiny.

Seeds:

Habitat: Dry, well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils on upper bajadas and moderate slopes in the lower mountains.

Distribution: Northwestern Arizona and southern Nevada

Elevation: About 1,000 to 4,500 feet.

Comments: Opuntia diploursina is diploid, apparently a play on words when split from what was Opuntia erinacea var. ursina, a tetraploid.