Cylindropuntia is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing species commonly known as chollas, native to northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. They are known for their barbed spines that tenaciously attach to skin, fur, and clothing. Stands of cholla are called cholla gardens. Individuals within these colonies often exhibit the same DNA, as they were formerly tubercles of an original plant.
| Cholla |
|---|
 |
| Cylindropuntia kleiniae |
Scientific classification |
|---|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Opuntioideae |
| Tribe: | Cylindropuntieae |
| Genus: | Cylindropuntia
(Engelm.) F.M.Knuth |
| Species |
|---|
See text |
| Synonyms |
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- Opuntia (Cylindropuntia) Engelm.
- Grusonia (Cylindropuntia) (Engelm.) G.D.Rowley
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TaxonomyEditCylindropuntia was formerly treated as a subgenus of Opuntia, but have now been separated based on their cylindrical stems (Opuntia species have flattened stems) and the presence of papery epidermal sheaths on the spines (Opuntia has no sheaths).[1] A few species of mat- or clump-forming opuntioid cacti are currently placed in the genus Grusonia. Collectively, opuntias, chollas, and related plants are sometimes called opuntiads.[2]
The roughly 35 species of Cylindropuntia are native to the southwestern and south-central United States, Mexico, and the West Indies. The Flora of North America recognizes 22 species.[3] Some species have been introduced to South America (Chile, Ecuador, Peru) and South Africa.[3]
SpeciesEdit
As of July 2019, Plants of the World Online accepts the following species:[4]
| Scientific name[a] | Common name | Picture |
|---|
| Cylindropuntia abyssi (Hester) Backeb. | Peach Springs cholla | |
| Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow | Buckhorn cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia alcahes (F.A.C. Weber) F.M. Knuth | Clavellina cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia anteojoensis (Pinkava) E.F. Anderson | | |
| Cylindropuntia arbuscula (Engelm.) F.M. Knuth | Arizona pencil cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Teddy-bear cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia californica (Torr. & A.Gray) F.M.Knuth | California cholla
Snake cholla
Cane cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia calmalliana (J.M.Coult.) F.M.Knuth | | |
| Cylindropuntia caribaea (Britton & Rose) F.M. Knuth | |  |
| Cylindropuntia cedrosensis Rebman | | |
| Cylindropuntia cholla (F.A.C. Weber) F.M. Knuth | Chain-link cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia chuckwallensis M.A.Baker & Cloud-H. | | |
| Cylindropuntia ciribe (Engelm. ex J.M.Coult.) F.M.Knuth | | |
| Cylindropuntia davisii (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) F.M. Knuth | | |
| Cylindropuntia echinocarpa (Engelm. & Bigelow) F.M.Knuth | Silver cholla
Golden cholla
Wiggins' cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia fosbergii (C.B. Wolf) Rebman, M.A. Baker & Pinkava | Hoffmann's teddybear cholla
Pink teddy-bear cholla
Mason Valley cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia fulgida Engelm. | Jumping cholla
Hanging chain cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia ganderi (C.B. Wolf) Rebman & Pinkav | Gander cholla
Gander's buckhorn cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia hystrix (Griseb.) Areces | |  |
| Cylindropuntia imbricata Haw. (DC.) | Cane cholla
Walking stick cholla
Tree cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia kleiniae (DC.) F.M. Knuth | |  |
| Cylindropuntia leptocaulis F.M.Knuth | Desert Christmas cholla
Tasajillo |  |
| Cylindropuntia libertadensis Rebman | | |
| Cylindropuntia lindsayi (Rebman) Rebman | | |
| Cylindropuntia molesta (Brandegee) F.M.Knuth | Agujilla |  |
| Cylindropuntia multigeniculata (Clokey) Backeb. | | |
| Cylindropuntia munzii (C.B. Wolf) Backeb. | |  |
| Cylindropuntia prolifera (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Coastal cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia ramosissima (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Branched pencil cholla
Diamond cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia rosea (DC.) Backeb. | |  |
| Cylindropuntia sanfelipensis (Rebman) Rebman | | |
| Cylindropuntia santamaria (E.M. Baxter) Rebman | | |
| Cylindropuntia spinosior (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth | Tasajo cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia tesajo (Engelm. ex J.M. Coult.) F.M. Knuth | |  |
| Cylindropuntia thurberi (Engelm.) F.M. Knuth | | |
| Cylindropuntia tunicata (Lehm.) F.M.Knuth | Sheathed cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia versicolor (Engelm. ex J.M. Coult.) F.M. Knuth | Staghorn cholla |  |
| Cylindropuntia waltoniorum Rebman | | |
| Cylindropuntia whipplei (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) F.M.Knuth | Rat-tail cholla[5] |  |
| Cylindropuntia wolfii (L.D. Benson) J. Rebman – unplaced name | Wolf's cholla |  |
HybridsEdit
Some hybrids are also known:[4]
- Cylindropuntia × antoniae P.V.Heath
- Cylindropuntia × campii (M.A.Baker & Pinkava) M.A.Baker & Pinkava
- Cylindropuntia × cardenche (Griffiths) F.M.Knuth
- Cylindropuntia × congesta (Griffiths) F.M.Knuth
- Cylindropuntia × deserta (Griffiths) Pinkava
- Cylindropuntia × grantiorum P.V.Heath
- Cylindropuntia × kelvinensis (V.E.Grant & K.A.Grant) P.V.Heath
- Cylindropuntia × neoarbuscula (Griffiths) F.M.Knuth
- Cylindropuntia × pallida (Rose) F.M.Knuth
- Cylindropuntia × tetracantha (Toumey) F.M.Knuth
- Cylindropuntia × viridiflora (Britton & Rose) F.M.Knuth
- Cylindropuntia × vivipara (Rose) F.M.Knuth