Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

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Opuntia insularis Stewart

tuna, cactus, prickly pear cactus

Pollen grain of Opuntia insularis A. Stewart (scanning electron micrograph). Photo: Patricia Jaramillo Díaz & M. Mar Trigo, CDF, 2011.
Pollen grain of Opuntia insularis A. Stewart (scanning electron micrograph). Photo: Patricia Jaramillo Díaz & M. Mar Trigo, CDF, 2011.

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Magnoliopsida (= Dicotyledoneae)

Order
Caryophyllales

Family
Cactaceae

Genus
Opuntia

Species
insularis

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Opuntia galapageia var. insularis Backeb.

Origin: Endemic

Status

Vulnerable

References

  • Adsersen, H. (s.a.) Personal observations Charles Darwin Research Station, unpublished Manuscript.
  • Adsersen, H. (1987) Patrones de distribución interna de las plantas vasculares en Galápagos. Memorias. Investigación Botánica y Manejo en Galápagos. Pg.74-87
  • De Vries, T. Tupiza, A. (1987) Las dinámicas de Scalesia cordata (Asteraceae)en diferentes habitats de Sierra Negra, Isla Isabela, Galápagos Memorias. Investigacion Botánica y Manejo en Galápagos. Pg. 154-165
  • Fosberg, F. R. (1987) Vegetación inalterada en Fernandina, 1964 Memorias. Investigación Botánica y Manejo en Galápagos. Pg. 66-74
  • Hicks, D.J. Mauchamp, A. (1996) Evolution and conservation biology of the Galapagos Opuntias (Cactaceae). Yearbook Cactus Succulent Soc. Am. 4:
  • Howell, J.T. (1933) The Cactaceae of the Galapagos Islands. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 21(5): 41-54.
  • Lundh, J.P. (1995) Some additional information and comments on the Annotated Check list of Vascular Plants of the Galapagos Islands by Lawesson, Adsersen and Bentley. Charles Darwin Research Station, unpublished.
  • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Missouri Botanical Garden (eds.) (2013) The Plant List, Version 1.1. Published on the Internet; http://www.theplantlist.org/ (accessed 1st January).
  • Stewart, A. (1911) A botanical survey of the Galápagos Islands. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 4th Series, 1: 7-288.
  • Tropicos.org. (2017) Database of Missouri Botanical Garden. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 06 Oct 2017 <http://www.tropicos.org
  • Valencia, R. Pitman, N., León-Yánez, S. & Jørgensen, P.M. (2000) Libro Rojo de las Plantas Endémicas del Ecuador. Herbario QCA, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Ecuador 2000 i–iv, 1–489.
  • Wiggins, I.L. Porter, D.M. (1971) Flora of the Galapagos Islands Standford University Press, Stanford.

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This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Opuntia insularis", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=248. Accessed 31 October 2026.