Opuntia vaseyi (Vasey's Prickly Pear)

 3/12/17 Vernal Pool Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve,

Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA

 3/12/17 Vernal Pool Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

3/12/17 Vernal Pool Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Vasey's Prickly Pear

SPECIES: Opuntia vaseyi

FAMILY: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 3/12/17

LOCATION: Vernal Pool Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA

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Treatment from Jepson eFlora:

NATIVE 

Habit: Shrub. 

Stem: < 1 m; branches sprawling to spreading; segments 9--22 cm, generally obovate, gray-green, glabrous. 

Spines: generally 0--4 per areole, generally flat, longest generally 3--4.8 cm, generally straight, spreading to reflexed, yellow, generally +- white-coated, base brown or yellow, smaller spines 0--4, +- 5 mm. 

Flower: inner perianth yellow, orange, or dull red; filaments orange-yellow; style generally pink, stigma green to yellow-green. 

Fruit: juicy, red-purple throughout; areoles 20--36. 

Seed: 4.5--6 mm. 

Ecology: Chaparral, disturbed areas; Elevation: 275--500 m. 

Bioregional Distribution: SCo, edges of adjacent zones. 

Flowering Time: Apr--Jun 

Jepson eFlora Author: Bruce D. Parfitt