General: Matted Cholla (Grusonia parishii) is a low-growing, spreading tangle of cylindrical stems with long,
stout spines. Looking carefully, the stems are club-shaped, but it is easier to see in the fruits.
Matted Cholla is an uncommon component of vegetation communities on well-drained sandy and gravelly soils on bajadas and
moderate slopes into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave
Desert Scrub) life zone.
Around Las Vegas, look for populations of this cactus along the trail just north of the Red Rocks Visitor Center and on the hills to
the east of the Visitor Center.
Family: Cactus (Cactaceae).
Other Names: Club cholla, mat cholla, Opuntia parishii, Opuntia stanlyi var. parishii, Corynopuntia parishii. |