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Opuntia tuna (L.) Mill.

Elephantear Pricklypear

Native records: 5 botanical areas

Jamaica, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Gulf, 2 more areas

See all areas

Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Opuntia tuna

A succulent shrub of seasonally dry tropical climates. Native to Mexico, Jamaica.

This entry carries only the classification and distribution data recorded in WCVP. A written account is not yet available.

Distribution areas

  • Andorra

    • SpainIntroduced

  • Australia

    • New South WalesIntroduced
    • QueenslandIntroduced

  • Bangladesh

    • BangladeshIntroduced

  • Barbados

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Cayman Islands

    • Cayman Is.Introduced

  • China

    • China SoutheastIntroduced
    • HainanIntroduced

  • Colombia

    • ColombiaIntroduced

  • Dominica

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Ecuador

    • GalápagosIntroduced

  • Equatorial Guinea

    • Gulf of Guinea Is.Introduced

  • France

    • FranceIntroduced

  • Gibraltar

    • SpainIntroduced

  • Grenada

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Guernsey

    • FranceIntroduced

  • Haiti

    • HaitiIntroduced

  • Holy See

    • ItalyIntroduced

  • Hong Kong

    • China SoutheastIntroduced

  • India

    • Andaman Is.Introduced
    • AssamIntroduced
    • IndiaIntroduced
    • Nicobar Is.Introduced
    • West HimalayaIntroduced

  • Italy

    • ItalyIntroduced

  • Jamaica

    • JamaicaNative

  • Jersey

    • FranceIntroduced

  • Macao

    • China SoutheastIntroduced

  • Madagascar

    • MadagascarIntroduced

  • Martinique

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Mauritius

    • MauritiusIntroduced

  • Mexico

    • Mexico GulfNative
    • Mexico NortheastNative
    • Mexico SoutheastNative
    • Mexico SouthwestNative

  • Monaco

    • FranceIntroduced

  • Myanmar

    • Andaman Is.Introduced
    • MyanmarIntroduced

  • New Caledonia

    • New CaledoniaIntroduced

  • Portugal

    • PortugalIntroduced

  • Puerto Rico

    • HaitiIntroduced

  • Saint Lucia

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • San Marino

    • ItalyIntroduced

  • Sao Tome and Principe

    • Gulf of Guinea Is.Introduced

  • Saudi Arabia

    • Saudi ArabiaIntroduced

  • Spain

    • Canary Is.Introduced
    • SpainIntroduced

  • Sri Lanka

    • Sri LankaIntroduced

  • Taiwan, Province of China

    • China SoutheastIntroduced

  • Tunisia

    • TunisiaIntroduced

  • United States of America

    • FloridaIntroduced
    • South CarolinaIntroduced

  • Viet Nam

    • VietnamIntroduced

  • Yemen

    • YemenIntroduced

  • Areas outside any country

    • South China SeaIntroduced

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.

  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • Af Tropical, rainforest
  • BSh Arid, steppe, hot
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • BSk Arid, steppe, cold
  • BWh Arid, desert, hot
  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer

The same climate occurs in 194 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 dillenii is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.225, right column, line 65

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

  • Opuntia tuna is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.226, left column, line 57

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Elephantear Pricklypear、elephantear pricklypear、Sour Pickle

Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Opuntia

Other species in Opuntia

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Andorra · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Australia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bangladesh · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Barbados · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    China · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Colombia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cayman Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Dominica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Ecuador · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Spain · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    France · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guernsey · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Gibraltar · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Equatorial Guinea · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Grenada · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Hong Kong · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Haiti · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    India · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Italy · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Jamaica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Jersey · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Lucia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sri Lanka · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Macao · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Monaco · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Madagascar · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Myanmar · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Martinique · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mauritius · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    New Caledonia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Puerto Rico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Portugal · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saudi Arabia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    San Marino · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sao Tome and Principe · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Tunisia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Taiwan, Province of China · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States of America · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Holy See · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Viet Nam · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Yemen · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

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