Opuntia quitensis

Native from southwestern Colombia through Ecuador to Peru, this prickly pear cactus grows as a succulent shrub in seasonally dry tropical habitats. Orange flowers open above flattened stem pads, with numerous stamens packed around the central stigma. The fleshy green segments store water and perform photosynthesis. In the Colombian Andes, it grows at elevations around 6,200 feet. Photographed in Colombia.