NAME: Opuntia stricta (A. Haworth) A. Haworth

PLANT FAMILY: Cactaceae

COMMON NAME: spineless prickly pear

APERTURATION: Periporate

ORNAMENTATION: Clavate or baculate muri

POLLINATION SYNDROME: Entomophilous

SIZE: 110-120 µm

SHAPE: More or less octagonal in outline

FLOWERING DATE: May - September in Texas

NOTES: The 74th Texas State Legislature (1995) designated the prickly pear as the State Plant. This means that all members of genus Opuntia which have flat stems, are the State Plant. Members of the genus Opuntia with cylindrical stems are not considered the State Plant.

Although most members of the Cactaceae are found in the Southwest United States, Opuntia stricta occurs through out the eastern portion of the United States from Texas to Florida to South Carolina. The yellow flowers are visited by insects and hummingbirds. Opuntia pollen can be found in honey.

Many members of the genus Opuntia exhibit thigmotrophic movement of the stamens. When an insect or other pollinator crawls around in the flower, the stamen are disturbed. This disturbance causes the stamens move inward and downward completely covering the insect. The insect must now crawl through and over the anthers to get out. As it does, pollen is dislodged from the anthers and becomes attached to the insect body. To see this movement, one can trick the anthers into moving by "tickling" the anthers with a small stick or one's finger. If the anthers are already curled downward, it will take a hour or so before they can be tricked again.