Platyclades nearly round, elliptic, narrowly ovate (egg-shaped, wider toward base) or obovate (egg-shaped, wider toward tip), 12-22 cm long, densely spiny, whorls of 4-11 long spines (~2-4.5 cm long) arranged in an almost perfectly rectangular pattern on the platyclades. Spines a yellowish/whitish color sometimes tinged reddish or brownish. Found in Los Angeles County along the coast up to about 400 m, mostly in coastal sage scrub, though it may be found in chaparral. Cactus up to 2 m tall, upright in growth form but spreading into extensive masses; flowers pale yellow to pale yellow/pink, with many stamens, flowering from May to June; pear-shaped, red or magenta edible fruit about 3.5-6 cm long (cactus figs, tuna, nopales).
Opuntia littoralis (Cactaceae): coastal prickly pear, Western prickly pear, prickly pear, nopales, tuna
The development of this key was partially funded through the Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Program (Award #0703798) and through a course of re-assigned time provided by the CSULB Scholarly and Creative Activities Committee. Thanks also to the students in sections of biogeography, introductory physical geography, GDEP, and LSAMP for "test-driving" various editions of this key.