OPUNTIA. 



125 



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 Martius, Fl. Bras. 4 2 : 306. 

 1890. 



Opuntia quipa Weber, Diet. Hort. Bois 894. 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 

 bright green, orbicular to oblong, 8 to 16 cm. long, usually quite 

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

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

 ish-brown glochids; glochids unequal, spreading, easily becoming 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 Janeiro in original 

 description. 



Distribution: Pernambuco, Bahia, and MinasGeraes, Brazil. 



This plant is known as quipa in Bahia, Brazil. 



This species is very common in all the dry part of Bahia and, although abundant and 

 mostly spineless, is avoided by all kinds of grazing animals, even when the country is devoid 

 of other suitable forage. It has been suggested that the plant may be bitter, or that the 

 glochids are troublesome; the glochids, however, are usually wanting on old joints. 



The plant rarely develops acicular spines up to 3 cm. long on some joints, as shown 

 by specimens collected by Dr. Rose and Mr. Russell near Machado Portello, Brazil. 



Figure 156 is from a photograph taken by Mr. P. H. Dorsett near Joazeiro, Brazil, in 

 1914; figure 157 is from a plant collected by Dr. Rose near Machado Portello, Bahia, 

 Brazil, in 1915. 



FIG. 157. Opuntia inamoena. 

 Xo.66. 



