Native records: 7 botanical areas
Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Bolivia, 4 more areas
See all areasNatural distribution
Explore mapNativeIntroducedUncertain
Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.
Last updated:
Distribution last verified:
A succulent shrub of seasonally dry tropical climates. Native to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay.
This entry carries only the classification and distribution data recorded in WCVP. A written account is not yet available.
Distribution areas
Argentina
- Argentina NortheastNative
- Argentina NorthwestNative
Bolivia, Plurinational State of
- BoliviaNative
Brazil
- Brazil SouthNative
- Brazil West-CentralNative
Cuba
- CubaIntroduced
Paraguay
- ParaguayNative
Uruguay
- UruguayNative
Climate of the native range
The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.
- Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
- Aw Tropical, savannah
- BSh Arid, steppe, hot
- Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer
- BWk Arid, desert, cold
- BSk Arid, steppe, cold
- Am Tropical, monsoon
- Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer
The same climate occurs in 172 areas worldwide, 164 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map
A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).
Recorded medicinal uses
The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.
Opuntia elata is recorded as used medicinally.
Source location: p.226, left column, line 2
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715
Open source
Other names
Riverina pear、orange tuna
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Opuntia
Other species in Opuntia
- Opuntia depressadepressa cactus
- Opuntia diploursina
- Opuntia discolor
- Opuntia drummondiiCockspur Prickly Pear
- Opuntia dulcis
- Opuntia eichlamiiPrickly Pears
- Opuntia elatiorBroad prickly pear
- Opuntia engelmanniiCactus-apple
- Opuntia erinaceaMohave pricklypear
- Opuntia eruca
- Opuntia escuintlensis
- Opuntia excelsalofty pricklypear
Sources
World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04
Argentina · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv
Open sourceWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04
Bolivia, Plurinational State of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv
Open sourceWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04
Brazil · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv
Open sourceWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04
Cuba · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv
Open sourceWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04
Paraguay · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv
Open sourceWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04
Uruguay · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv
Open source