''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'', commonly referred to as buckhorn cholla, is a cholla native to the Mojave, Sonoran, and

Colorado Desert California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert. It encompasses approximately , including the heavily irrigated Coachella and Imperial valleys. It is home to many unique flora and fauna. Geography and geology The Colorado De ...

s of North America. Along with ''

Cylindropuntia bigelovii ''Cylindropuntia bigelovii'', the teddy-bear cholla ''(choy-ya''), is a cholla cactus species native to Northwestern Mexico, and to the United States in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Description ''Cylindropuntia bigelovii'' has a soft appe ...

'' (the "teddy bear" cholla), it is the most common cholla found in these deserts.

Varieties

There are a number of recognized

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

include: *''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' var. ''acanthocarpa'' *''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' var. ''coloradensis'' — L.D. Benson; Colorado buckhorn cholla. *''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' var. ''ganderi'' — (C.B. Wolf) L.D. Benson *''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' var. ''major'' — Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow *''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' var. ''ramosa'' — Peebles *''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' var. ''thornberi'' — (Thornber & Bonker) L.D. Benson; Thornber's buckhorn cholla.USDA: ''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' var. ''thornberi''
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Ethnobotany

* Early spring was called ''ko’oak macat'' (the painful moon) by the Tohono O’odham because of scarce food supplies. During this season, they turned to cacti for food and pit-roasted thousands of calcium-rich cholla flower bud
[1
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/nowiki>*_Today's_O’odham_people_still_pit-roast_or_boil_the_cholla_buds,_which_taste_like_asparagus_tips.

_References

_External_links

''Cylindropuntia_acantocarpa''_photo_gallery_at_Opuntia_WebCalflora_Database:_''Cylindropuntia_acanthocarpa''_(buck_horn_cholla)
{{Taxonbar.html" ;"title="
/nowiki>.html" ;"title=""> ">[1
/nowiki>*_Today's_O’odham_people_still_pit-roast_or_boil_the_cholla_buds,_which_taste_like_asparagus_tips.

_References

_External_links

''Cylindropuntia_acantocarpa''_photo_gallery_at_Opuntia_WebCalflora_Database:_''Cylindropuntia_acanthocarpa''_(buck_horn_cholla)
{{Taxonbar">from=Q309958 Cylindropuntia.html" ;"title="
/nowiki>">">[1
/nowiki>* Today's O’odham people still pit-roast or boil the cholla buds, which taste like asparagus tips.

References

External links

''Cylindropuntia acantocarpa'' photo gallery at Opuntia WebCalflora Database: ''Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa'' (buck horn cholla)
{{Taxonbar">from=Q309958 Cylindropuntia">acanthocarpa Cacti of the United States Flora of the California desert regions Flora of Arizona Flora of Nevada Flora of Utah Natural history of the Colorado Desert Natural history of the Mojave Desert North American desert flora Plants used in Native American cuisine Flora without expected TNC conservation status