Taxon Details

Opuntia wigginsii

Wiggins' cholla

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Taxon Summary:

Opuntia wigginsii, commonly known as Wiggins' cholla, is a perennial stem in the Cactaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Sonoran desert scrub, growing at elevations from 30 to 885 meters. Opuntia wigginsii is ranked 3.3, Plants About Which We Need More Information, A Review List; Not very threatened in California.

Classification

Scientific Name: Opuntia wigginsii L. Benson
Common Name: Wiggins' cholla
Family:	Cactaceae
Element Code:	PDCAC0D1P0
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:
Name Status:	JEF, FNA, POWO, IPNI, Tropicos

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank:	3.3
Fed List:	None
State List:	None
Global Rank:	G3?Q
State Rank:	S1?
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:
Add Date:	1974-01-01
Date Edited:	2021-05-26

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial stem

Blooming Period: Mar

Elevation:
30 - 885 meters
100 - 2905 feet

General Habitats:

Sonoran desert scrub (sandy)

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Notes

Notes: Apparently a sporadic hybrid between Cylindropuntia ramosissima and C. echinocarpa; needs further study. See Opuntia ramosissima in TJM (1993), and Cylindropuntia echinocarpa in TJM 2.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	1
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	1	17 %
Road/trail construction/maint.	1	16%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Element Occurrence Ranks:
Total Occurrences:					6
A	B	C	D	X	U
1	0	0	0	0	5

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	6
Recent <=20 Years	0

Presence:
Presumed Extant	6
Possibly Extirpated	0
Presumed Extirpated	0

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
Arizona (AZ), California (CA)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Imperial (IMP), San Bernardino (SBD), San Diego (SDG)

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Agua Caliente Springs (3211683), Arroyo Tapiado (3211682), Cibola (3311436), Earthquake Valley (3311614), Harpers Well (3311518), Monument Peak (3211684), Palo Verde (3311446), Savahia Peak (3411435)

Notes:

Definitions of codes following a county and/or quad:
*		Presumed extirpated
(?)		Occurrence confirmed, but possibly extirpated
Quad and county data is imported from the CNDDB. Species may be present in other areas where conditions are favorable. These data should NOT be substituted for pre-project review or for on-site surveys.

Regional Map

Map

Presumed Extant

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CNPS Rare Plant Inventory