424 WOODY PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



THE INDIAN FIG. OPU'NTIA. Tournefort. 



Shrubby plants with articulated branches; the joints mostly 

 compressed and dilated, bearing fascicles of prickles or bristles, 

 arranged in a quincuncial or spiral order. Flowers, yellow or 

 red, sessile, arising from the clusters of prickles, or along the 

 margin of the joints. Stamens numerous, shorter than the pe- 

 tals, somewhat irritable. Berry tuberculate, often prickly, eat- 

 able. — Flora of N. A. Five species of this genus are found 

 north of Mexico. 



The Prickly Pear. O. vulgaris. Miller. 



An erect, or prostrate, creeping plant, with articulated stem, 

 the joints from two to four inches long, very fleshy and armed 

 with tufts of setaceous spines. The flowers are large and grow 

 from the margin of the joints. Petals bright yellow, obovate, 

 mucronate, much longer than the calyx. The fruit is obovate, 

 pulpy and edible ; the seeds numerous, small, immersed in the 

 crimson pulp. 



My friend Thomas A. Greene informs me that he found this 

 plant growing plentifully at Coatue Point, a long, narrow pro- 

 montory extending towards Nantucket Harbor from the east, 

 and accessible only at low water or in a boat. It was so near 

 the water's edge that it must have sometimes been overflowed 

 by the sea. "It was found early in July, and was then in full 

 flower. From its succulent qualities, it remained fresh, and 

 continued to put forth flowers for a long time, though thrown 

 carelessly by in the door-yard. One of the plants, after lying 

 thus for many days, was transplanted to James Arnold's garden 

 and continued to live several years." 



Nantucket is in north latitude 41° 16', and this is the most 

 northerly point on the Atlantic coast, at which a cactaceous 

 plant is found growing naturally. Mr. Greene has seen the 

 same species growing in thin soil on the rocky ledges of Man- 

 hattan (New York) Island, and it is said to be found at New 

 Haven, in Connecticut, It is found also in New Jersey, and 

 thence to Florida. 



