tesajilla

[Karen Clary]

Your "tesajilla" might be tasajillo which is Opuntial leptocaulis, also known as pencil cactus, desert Christmas cactus, or tesajo.  This cactus is widespread in distribution and abundant throughout most of central and western Texas.  I've observed that it grows in burrowing owl habitat in Texas, specifically in the Odessa (Ector Co.) area.   It also grows in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and northern Mexico. 
 Another possibility is Opuntia kleiniae  which has a smaller distribution from southern New Mexico to Texas west of the Pecos River.  You can find this information in Correll and Johnston's Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas, 1979. 

Karen H. Clary, Ph.D
Environmental Affairs Division
TxDOT
125 E. 11th St.
Austin, TX. 78701-2483
Tel. 512-416-2767
FAX 512-416-2319

>>> "Dr. Neil Snow" <nsnow at BENTLEY.UNCO.EDU> 09/12/00 09:46AM >>>
Does anyone know the Latin name for the plant species known in the USA
(and presumably Mexico) as "tesajilla"?  It is said to be a food source
of the burrowing owl.
NS