Opuntia BASILARIS - Beavertail prickly pear, Beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris.
Opuntia is a large genus of succulent plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), comprising about 150-180 species distributed in the New World from Canada to South America. In nature, members of the genus occur in deserts, semi-deserts, dry savannas, prairies, open woodlands, on rocky slopes, sandy plains, and other open habitats with bright sun and well-draining soils.
The plants typically develop as shrubby, creeping, or tree-like cacti with flattened jointed stems called cladodes or pads. Leaves in mature plants are reduced, with photosynthesis performed by the green fleshy stem segments. The areoles bear spines and tiny barbed bristles known as glochids, which detach easily and irritate the skin.
The flowers of Opuntia are large, diurnal, usually yellow, orange, reddish, or pink, forming along the margins of mature pads. After pollination, fleshy fruits develop, which are often brightly colored and edible in many species. The seeds are hard, dense, encased in the fruit pulp, with a pronounced coat, which is why germination is often extended.
Beavertail prickly pear is distinguished by the characteristic coloration of its obovate pads, which are blue-green or reddish, with sunken brownish-pubescent areoles and very few spines. The flowers range from pink to carmine-red, with a red pistil. It grows rather slowly and cannot tolerate waterlogging. Its homeland is western Arizona, southern California, Nevada, and southern Utah.