Editing Eastern Prickly Pear (section)

==== Status ====

I have not explored all of the possible locations on Beacon Hill where ''O. humifusa'' may currently live.  However, I ''have'' thoroughly examined a very large percentage of those areas (at least 60% to 70%).  Because the remaining unexplored locations are in close proximity to the areas that I have already explored, and because the the unexplored areas most likely share similar or nearly identical habitat conditions, I am skeptical that ''O. humifusa'' still lives on Beacon Hill.
 
Until I explore every individual ledge on Beacon Hill, however, I will not be able to say for certain that ''O. humifusa'' is extinct on that mountain.  My examination of confirmed colonies of ''O. humifusa'' in both Plainville and New Haven has revealed that the plant may flourish in extremely isolated areas despite being in very close proximity to relatively large areas of similar habitat.  Therefore, it is entirely possible that one of the few ledges on Beacon Hill which I did not investigate may contain a colony of ''O. humifusa'' which, for one reason or another, has been unable expand its range to similar habitats on nearby ledges.