Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Opuntia macrocentra group

• Opuntia macrocentra Engelm.: has cladodes 15-20 cm long dark green, often purplish, with very long spines, mostly restricted to the upper margin of the cladode and only glochids on the lower areoles
  fruits deep purplish red. Distribution: Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.
• Opuntia macrocentra var. minor M.S.Anthony: has cladodes 10-15 cm long, glaucous blue-green with few areoles, fruits pinkish red. Distribution: Texas and Mexico.
• Opuntia violacea Engelm.: has stiff spines on the upper half of the cladode.
• Opuntia violacea var. gosseliniana (F.A.C.Weber) L.D.Benson: has bristlelike (flexible) spines arising from all areoles on a cladode.