About Cylindropuntia californica (Torr. & A.Gray) F.M.Knuth
Cylindropuntia californica is a short, sprawling cactus that typically grows to less than 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in height. It usually produces several to many trunks, with main branches and stems that most often sprawl along the ground or grow erect. Its terminal stem segments are usually less than 25 cm (9.8 in) long and 2 to 4 cm (0.79 to 1.57 in) in diameter. Stem tubercles measure 7 to 20 mm (0.28 to 0.79 in) across and are less than 5 mm (0.20 in) high. The spines are generally less than 2 cm (0.79 in) long, and range in color from yellow to orange-brown. Like most cholla species, this cactus has a paper-like sheath covering each spine; on Cylindropuntia californica, this sheath is translucent white to gold-brown. Its flowers are yellow to yellow-green, with green filaments. The fruit is leathery, and may be spineless or bear many spines. The seeds are less than 7 mm (0.28 in) long. All three varieties of this species are native to Baja California, Mexico. Only var. californica is found in the United States, where it occurs only in southern San Diego County, California. Var. californica typically grows in sandy soils and sandy loams on slopes and in valleys, within coastal sage scrub and coastal chaparral habitats, at elevations between 30 and 150 m (98 and 492 ft). The other two varieties, which are restricted to Baja California, have more inland distributions: one occurs in the San Felipe Desert, and the other grows on the western slope of the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir.
