Publication: Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 206. 1850
Description
Plants form spreading mats of chains of joints, rooting where they touch soil. Without tuberous central taproot.
Stems segments: Joints with mostly six or fewer areoles per diagonal row across
joint.
Leaves: Usually bluish-green and over 7 mm long.
Spines: Mostly three or fewer per areole, mostly only in upper areoles.
Flowers: Usually pale yellow, often red in center, petals usually spreading widely.
Origin and Habitat
Texas (South-Central U.S.A., Northern America). Found in local colonies in sandy soil. Belen, Alameda, Pojoaque to Española, Moriarty, etc.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
- David J. Ferguson “Keys to the identity of cacti of the Albuquerque & Santa Fe area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Socorro, Torrance, and Valencia Counties)” November 1993 (updated May18, 2012)
From llifle page Opuntia plumbea
Origin and Habitat
Arizona (Southwestern U.S.A., Northern America)
Source: Opuntia plumbea, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.
From llifle page Opuntia sphaerocarpa
Origin and Habitat
New Mexico (South-Central U.S.A., Northern America)
Type Locality: “Mountains near Albuquerque”
Source: Opuntia sphaerocarpa, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.