Cylindropuntia
Cylindropuntia
99
species Cactaceae
Morphological Summary
Genus of cacti in the subfamily Opuntioideae comprising the "chollas", plants with cylindrical, jointed stems and retrorsely barbed spines that cling to animals and humans, facilitating vegetative dispersal. Includes about 33 species native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of South America.
Distribution Southwestern USA (California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Texas), Mexico (Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit), Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Hispaniola), Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay
Conservation Most species are not significantly threatened; island-endemic or range-restricted species require monitoring. Some are invasive outside their native range.
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eco
Species
Cylindropuntia abyssi
Grand Canyon cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00062
Origin USA (Arizona)
Type species
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
Buckhorn cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00063
Origin USA/Mexico (Sonoran Desert)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia alamosensis (Britton & Rose) Backeb.
Álamos cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00001
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia alcahes
Baja California cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00064
Origin Mexico (Baja California)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia alcahes (F.A.C.Weber) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Alcahes cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00002
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia anteojoensis (Pinkava) E.F.Anderson
Anteojo cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00003
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia arbuscula
Pencil cholla / Christmas cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00065
Origin USA/Mexico (Sonora, Arizona)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia arbuscula (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Pencil cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00004
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia aureispina (S.Brack & K.D.Heil) Pinkava & B.D.Parfitt
Golden-spined cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00005
Origin
Type
eco
SpeciesPopular
Cylindropuntia bigelovii
Teddy bear cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00066
Origin USA/Mexico (Sonoran Desert)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Teddy bear cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00006
Origin
Type
eco
Crested formRarity
Cylindropuntia bigelovii f. cristata
Teddy bear cholla crested form
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00067
Origin USA/Mexico (cultivated / found in nature)
Type form
eco
Cylindropuntia brevispina (H.E.Gates) Backeb.
Short-spined cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00007
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia brittonii (J.G.Ortega) Backeb.
Britton's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00008
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia caerulescens (Griffiths) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Bluish cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00009
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia californica
California cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00068
Origin USA/Mexico (California, Baja California)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia californica (Torr. & A.Gray) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
California cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00010
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia calmalliana (J.M.Coult.) F.M.Knuth
Calmalli cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00011
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia cardenche (Griffiths) Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Cardenche cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00012
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia caribaea
Caribbean cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00069
Origin Caribbean (Venezuela, Trinidad, Lesser Antilles)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia caribaea (Britton & Rose) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Caribbean cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00013
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia cedrosensis Rebman
Cedros Island cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00014
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia cholla
Mexican cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00070
Origin Mexico (Baja California Sur, Sonora)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia cholla (F.A.C.Weber) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Green cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00015
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia ciribe
Ciribe cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00071
Origin Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia clavarioides (Otto ex Pfeiff.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Club cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00016
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia clavata
Club cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00072
Origin USA (New Mexico, Texas)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia clavellina (Engelm. ex J.M.Coult.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Clavellina cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00017
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia cylindrica (Lamarck) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Cylindric cactus
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00018
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia davisii (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Davis' cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00019
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia densiaculeata Backeb.
Dense-spined cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00020
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia densispina
Dense-spined cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00073
Origin Mexico (Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit)
Type species
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa
Silver cholla / Golden spined cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00074
Origin USA/Mexico (Mojave and Sonoran deserts)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Silver cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00021
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia exaltata (A.Berger) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Exalted cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00022
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia fosbergii
Fosberg's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00075
Origin Mexico (Nayarit, Sinaloa)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia fulgida (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth
Jumping cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00023
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia ganderi
Gander's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00076
Origin Mexico (Baja California)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia ganderi (C.B.Wolf) Rebman & Pinkava
Gander's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00024
Origin
Type
eco
SpeciesRarity
Cylindropuntia geocarpa
Ground cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00077
Origin Mexico (Sonora)
Type species
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia gilmanii
Gilman's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00078
Origin Mexico (Baja California Sur)
Type species
eco
SpeciesIsland endemic
Cylindropuntia guadalupensis
Guadalupe Island cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00079
Origin Mexico (Isla Guadalupe)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia haematacantha Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Red-spined cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00025
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia hamiltonii (W.T.Marshall & T.M.Bock ex H.E.Gates) Backeb.
Hamilton's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00026
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia hualpaensis (Hester) Backeb.
Hualpa cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00027
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia hypsophila (Speg.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
High-altitude cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00028
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia hystrix (Griseb.) Areces
Hedgehog cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00029
Origin
Type
eco
SpeciesPopular
Cylindropuntia imbricata
Tree cholla / Walking stick cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00080
Origin USA/Mexico (Chihuahuan Desert region)
Type species
eco
Crested formRarity
Cylindropuntia imbricata f. cristata
Tree cholla crested form
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00081
Origin USA/Mexico (cultivated)
Type form
eco
Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Tree cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00030
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia intermedia Rauh & Backeb.
Intermediate cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00031
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia kelvinensis
Kelvin cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00082
Origin USA (Arizona)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia kelvinensis (V.E.Grant & K.A.Grant) P.V.Heath
Kelvin cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00032
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia kleiniae
Klein's cholla / Candle cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00083
Origin USA/Mexico (Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, New Mexico)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia kleiniae (DC.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Klein's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00033
Origin
Type
eco
SpeciesPopular
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis
Pencil cholla / Desert Christmas cactus
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00084
Origin USA/Mexico (Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (DC.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Christmas cactus
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00034
Origin
Type
eco
Crested formRarity
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis f. cristata
Pencil cholla crested form
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00085
Origin USA/Mexico (cultivated)
Type form
eco
Cylindropuntia lindsayi (Rebman) Rebman
Lindsay's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00035
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia lloydii
Lloyd's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00086
Origin Mexico (Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia maldonadensis (Arechav.) Backeb.
Maldonado cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00036
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia metuenda (Pittier) Backeb.
Feared cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00037
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia miquelii (Monv.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Miquel's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00038
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia molesta (Brandegee) F.M.Knuth
Baja cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00039
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia munzii
Munz's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00087
Origin USA/Mexico (Colorado Desert, Sonora)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia pachypus (K.Schum.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Thick-stemmed cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00040
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia pallida (Rose) F.M.Knuth
Pale cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00041
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia parishii
Parish's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00088
Origin USA (California, Nevada, Arizona)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia parryi (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Parry's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00042
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia prolifera
Coastal cholla / Jumping cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00089
Origin USA/Mexico (Coastal Southern California, Baja California)
Type species
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia ramosissima
Diamond cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00090
Origin USA/Mexico (Mojave and Sonoran deserts)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia ramosissima (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth
Diamond cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00043
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia recondita (Griffiths) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Hidden cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00044
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia rosarica
Rosa de Castilla cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00091
Origin Mexico (Baja California)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia rosea (DC.) Backeb.
Rosy cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00045
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia salmiana (J.Parm.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Salm's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00046
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia sanfelipensis
San Felipe cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00092
Origin Mexico (Baja California — San Felipe area)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia schickendantzii (F.A.C.Weber) Backeb.
Schickendantz cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00047
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia shaferi (Britton & Rose) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Shafer's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00048
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia spegazzinii (F.A.C.Weber) Backeb.
Spegazzini's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00049
Origin
Type
eco
SpeciesPopular
Cylindropuntia spinosior
Cane cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00093
Origin USA/Mexico (Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora, Chihuahua)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia spinosior (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Cane cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00050
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia subulata (Muehlenpf.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Eve's needle cactus
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00051
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia tephrocactoides Rauh & Backeb.
Peruvian lomas cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00052
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia teres (Cels) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Smooth cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00053
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia tesajo
Tesajo cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00094
Origin Mexico (Oaxaca, Puebla)
Type species
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia thurberi
Thurber's cholla / Organpipe cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00095
Origin USA/Mexico (Arizona, Sonora)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia thurberi (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Staghorn cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00054
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia tunicata
Sheathed cholla / Abrojo
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00096
Origin USA/Mexico/South America (widespread)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia tunicata (Lehm.) F.M.Knuth
Sheathed cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00055
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia verschaffeltii (Cels ex F.A.C.Weber) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Verschaffelt's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00056
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia versicolor
Staghorn cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00097
Origin USA/Mexico (Arizona, Sonora)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia versicolor (Engelm. ex Toumey) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Staghorn cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00057
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia vestita (Salm-Dyck) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Cotton pole cactus
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00058
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia weingartiana Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Weingart's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00059
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia whipplei
Whipple's cholla / Snow cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00098
Origin USA (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah)
Type species
eco
Cylindropuntia whipplei (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) F.M.Knuth in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
Whipple cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00060
Origin
Type
eco
Cylindropuntia wigginsii (L.D.Benson) H.Rob.
Wiggins' cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00061
Origin
Type
eco
Species
Cylindropuntia wolfii
Wolf's cholla
Specimen ID RN-CYLIN-00099
Origin Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
Type species