Opuntia xcurvispina
Curved-spine Beavertail
(c) Mike Ostrowski, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Mike Ostrowski · licence
Family: Cactaceae
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Opuntia xcurvispina (Curved-spine Beavertail) is a California plant in the Cactaceae family.
I apologize, but I cannot generate a complete description for this plant because critical details are missing from the plant data. The provided information lacks key specifics like habitat, bioregions, flowering time, and Jepson description that are necessary to construct a comprehensive description following the established rules. To create an accurate plant description, I would need those specific details from the source botanical documentation. Would you be able to provide the complete plant data for Opuntia xcurvispina, including: - Habitat details - Bioregional distributions - Elevation range - Flowering time - Specific Jepson description information - Any known details about flower color, stem characteristics, leaf structure With those details, I can generate a precise description that meets the structured guidelines.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Differentiators are not available at this time.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Cylindropuntia: Opuntia has flat paddle segments; Cylindropuntia has cylindrical stems with papery spine sheaths.; vs Echinocereus: Opuntia has flat pads; Echinocereus has cylindrical stems that branch into clusters.; vs Euphorbia: Opuntia has true spines from areoles on fleshy pads; Euphorbia has milky sap and no areoles.; vs Austrocylindropuntia: Opuntia has broad flat pads; Austrocylindropuntia has pencil-thin cylindrical stems.; vs Cephalocereus: Opuntia has flat jointed pads; Cephalocereus has tall unbranched columns with woolly hair.
Frequently asked questions
What plant family does Opuntia xcurvispina belong to?
Opuntia xcurvispina is in the Cactaceae family, genus Opuntia.
Is Opuntia xcurvispina rare or endangered?
Opuntia xcurvispina carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Opuntia basilaris — Beavertail cactus
- Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris — Beavertail
- Opuntia basilaris var. brachyclada — Short-joint beavertail
- Opuntia basilaris var. treleasei — Bakersfield cactus
- Opuntia ×charlestonensis
- Opuntia chlorotica — Pancake prickly-pear
- Sclerocactus johnsonii — Johnson's bee-hive cactus
- Sclerocactus polyancistrus — Mojave fishhook cactus
- Sclerocactus sp. — Pineapple cactus
- Bergerocactus emoryi — Golden-spined cereus
Sources: CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.