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Opuntia polyacantha schweriniana and O. debreczyi grow together in this area, and are immediately distinguishable at a glance. However, both have varied flower color, and both are dwarf in size (stem segments mostly under 2 inches long).

For comparison, this observation includes more than one individual growing within the same local population.

A high-elevation variant of O. polyacantha that I was surprised to find here (usually it is higher up). Stem segments averaging about 1.5 inches. Often confused with O. fragilis or O. debreczyi due to small size, but distinctly like O. polyacantha in flat stem segments, firmly attached to one-another, and spine arrangement in numous areoles. Flowers vary in color, and are small for O. polyacantha. These plants remain small no matter the growing conditions, they are not simply stunted as sometimes thought.