Opuntia atrispina Opuntia atrispina Opuntia atrispina is a cactus species in the "Opuntia" genus. It has limited distribution in the United States. In Texas it can be found from near Uvalde to Del Rio/Langtry—a small strip of area just 50 miles long. The flowers on these small shrubs are special because they open pale yellow (sometimes almost white) and darken with age to rose. Thus, the plants can be adorned with flowers of multiple colors: cream, yellow, salmon, and rose. Newly opened flowers can even have a hint of green in the middle. The spines too are special because they are yellowish
Opuntia basilaris These are more or less blue-gray, depending on variety, long and less than wide and thick. They are typically spineless, but have instead many small barbed bristles, called glochids, that easily penetrate the skin. "Opuntia basilaris" blooms from spring to early summer. The species is variable in nature and several names under different ranks have been described. Only four of these are generally accepted. Some experts consider the Trelease's beavertail to be a full species (Bowen 1987, R. van de Hoek). It is unique among the varieties of "Opuntia basilaris" in that the areoles contain spines in addition to the