Engelmann Prickly Pear
Opuntia phaeacantha
Pancake Prickly Pear
Opuntia chlorotica
Flat stem segments are slighly oblong in outline. Yellow flowers are large and showy in April-May. Large, deep red fruits in late summer. Widespread in upland Sonoran Desert habitat; moreso on overgrazed land. Currently Opuntia phaeacantha is separated taxonomically from Opuntia engelmannii. Detailed Description
Robust prickly pear with usu. one main stem or trunk. Spines often small and/or few. Flat stem segments are almost circular in outline. Occasional to common in upper elevations of the Sonoran Desert. The image is hosted at Wikimedia Detailed Description