Opuntia bentonii: A Texas Gulf Coast beach cactus (Cactaceae: Opuntioideae)

Opuntia bentonii Griffiths is a little-known prickly pear cactus that grows in the aeolian foredunes and uncommonly in the back dunes along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Despite the unique features of O. bentonii, it has been essentially overlooked and, if noticed, incorrectly identified. This work provides a thorough photographic documentation and description of the species and briefly documents its ecology. Though it was described as a component of the pest-pear infestation of Australia, the literature from that time suggests that it may have been confused with O. anahuacensis Griffiths, O stricta (Haw.) Haw., or other Gulf of Mexico coastal species (from more easterly locations). Herein we present our observations of O. bentonii and the sympatric O. anahuacensis.