Opuntia galapageia

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Caryophyllales
Classification System: APG IV Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Diaphoretickes Cladus: CAM Cladus: Archaeplastida Regnum: Plantae Cladus: Angiosperms Cladus: Eudicots Cladus: Core eudicots Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Opuntioideae
Tribus: Opuntieae
Genus: Opuntia
Series: Opuntia ser. Armatae
Species Opuntia galapageia
Varieties: O. g. var. galapageia – O. g. var. gigantea – O. g. var. helleri – O. g. var. insularis – O. g. var. macrocarpa – O. g. var. myriacantha – O. g. var. profusa – O. g. var. saxicola – O. g. var. zacana
Subvarietates: O. g. subvar. barringtonensis – O. g. subvar. inermis
Note: See Discussion Page regarding this circumscription. However, the current botanic consensus is to recognise that a single species colonised the islands and then diversified into diverse morphological variants under ecological pressures.

Opuntia galapageia Hensl., Mag. Zool. Bot. 1: 467. (1837)

Native distribution areas:
Continental: Southern America Regional: Western South America Galápagos Islands. References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2^nd Edition

Helsen, P., Browne, R.A., Anderson, D.J., Verdyck, P. & Van Dongen, S. 2009. Galapagos' Opuntia (prickly pear) cacti: extensive morphological diversity, low genetic variability. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 96(2): 451-461. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01141.x Reference page.
Hunt, D. 2016. CITES Cactaceae Checklist, ed. 3: 1–174. PDF. Reference page.
Korotkova, N., Aquino, D., Arias, S., Eggli, U., Franck, A. , Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Guerrero, P.C., Hernández, H.M., Kohlbecker, A., Köhler, M., Luther, K., Majure, L.C., Müller, A., Metzing, D., Nyffeler, R., Sánchez, D., Schlumpberger, B. & Berendsohn, W.G. 2021. Cactaceae at Caryophyllales. org–a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. Willdenowia 51(2): 251–270. DOI: 10.3372/wi.51.51208 Reference page.
Zapata, F., Cerca, J., McCarney, D., Henriquez, C.L., Tiamiyu, B.B., McCormack, J.E., Reckling, K.R., Chaves, J.A. & Rivas-Torres, G. 2024. Darwin’s overlooked radiation: genomic evidence points to the early stages of a radiation in the Galápagos prickly pear cactus (Opuntia: Cactaceae). Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society 3(1): p.kzae021. DOI: 10.1093/evolinnean/kzaf015 Reference page.

Govaerts, R. et al. 2025. Opuntia galapageia in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2025 Sept. 05. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2022. Opuntia galapageia. Published online. Accessed: Jan 05 2022. Reference page.
Korotkova, N. et al. 2022. Opuntia galapageia in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Jan 05. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2022. Opuntia galapageia. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 05 Jan 2022. Reference page.