OPUNTIA. 



1^5 



Fig. 156.— Opuntia inamoena. A single plant; Photograph by P. H. Dorsett. 



Series 6. INAMOENAE. 



A single, prostrate or depressed, usually spineless, light-green 

 Brazilian species. 



115. Opuntia inamoena Schumann in Martins, Fl. Bras. 4-: 306. 



1890. 



Weber 



1898. 



Usually low, often prostrate, forming clumps 2 to 10 dm. broad, 

 or sometimes in sheltered situations 6 cm. high and forming dense, 

 extensive thickets; roots fibrous; joints bluish green, when young 



green 



thick, sometimes 3 cm. thick, usually quite spineless ; leaves mmute, 

 2 mm. long; areoles small, when young filled with numerous yellow- 

 ish-brown glochids ; glochids unequal, spreading, easily becommg de- 

 tached; flowers small, brick-red; petals spreading; filaments orange ; 

 style yellow; stigma-lobes pale green; fruit globular, yellowish, 2.5 



to 3 cm. in diameter. 



Type locality: Schumann cites Rio de J 



description. 



Pernambuco. Bahia, and Minas 



, — Opunti: 

 X0.66. 



may 



This plant is known as quipa in Bahia, Brazil. 



This species is very common in all the dry part of Bahia ai 

 mostly spineless, is avoided by all kinds of grazing animals, even 

 of other suitable forage. It has been suggested that the plant ^ 



glochids are troublesome; the glochids, however, are usually wanting «" c^Id joi 



The plant rarely develops acicular spines up to 3 ^«^- ^^^^ ^^J p^'teZ B 

 by specimens collected by Dr. Rose and Mr. Russell "^-'' J^achado J^n^^^^^^^^ 



Figure 156 is from a photograph taken by Mr. R H. dorsett near Joazero 

 1914; figure 157 is from a plant collected by Dr. Rose near Machado Porte 

 Brazil, in 19 15. 



