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Prickly Pear cacti of the Genus Opuntia
are common on the Galapagos, there are 6 species and 14 varieties,
like the animals, different types are specific to different islands
and areas on the different islands. Some varieties have developed an
arborescent - tree-like - habit, possibly as an adaptation to avoid
being eaten by the Galapagos Tortoises, the two are found together.
On other islands that have no tortoises, some of the Opuntias are low
growing and have relatively few spines on the pads.
Certainly Opuntias are a valuable and
even preferred source of food for tortoises and for land iguanas.
In the picture is a rarer variety of
Opuntia in "happy face" guise.
Picture courtesy NOAA
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