| Opuntia echios | |
|---|---|
| Opuntia echios var. barringtonensis | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Genus: | Opuntia |
| Species: | O. echios |
| Binomial name | |
| Opuntia echios J.T.Howell |
|
Opuntia echios is a species of plant in the Cactaceae family. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) and is commonly known as the Galápagos prickly pear, but there are five other species of prickly pears that also are endemic to the archipelago (O. galapageia, O. helleri, O. insularis, O. megasperma and O. saxicola).
There are five varieties of Opuntia echios, each with a different appearance and distribution: Opuntia echios var. echios on the islands of Santa Cruz, Baltra, Daphne Major and South Plaza, Opuntia echios var. barringtonensis on Santa Fe, Opuntia echios var. gigantea near Academy Bay on Santa Cruz, Opuntia echios var. inermis on the Sierra Negra Volcano on Isabela and Opuntia echios var. zacana on North Seymour.