Vou. II.J CACTUS FAMILY. 463 
1. Opuntia Opuntia (L.) Coult. 
Eastern Prickly Pear. Indian 
Fig. (Fig. 2527.) 
Cactus Opuntia I. Sp. Pl. 468. 1753. 
Opuntia vulgaris Mill. Gard. Dict. Ed. 8, 
no. 1. 1768. 
Opuntia Opuntia Coult. Contr. Nat. Herb. 
3: 432. 1896. 
Prostrate, or ascending, joints obovate, 
oblong, oval or orbicular, 2/-5’ long. 
Leaves subulate, appressed or somewhat 
spreading, 2’’-4’’ long, usually early de- 
ciduous; bristles greenish or yellowish 
brown; spines, when present, solitary, 
grayish or variegated, stout, not deflexed, 
3/’-1}4’ long, often wanting; flowers yel- 
low, sometimes with a reddish center, 
2/-3/ broad; fruit obovoid, fleshy, edible, 
1/-1}4’ long, red. 
In dry sandy soil, or on rocks, eastern 
Massachusetts to eastern Pennsylvania and 
Florida. June-Aug. 
2. Opuntia humiftsa Raf. Western 
Prickly Pear. (Fig. 2528.) 
Cactus humtifusus Raf. Ann. Nat. 15. 1820. 
Opuntia humifusa Raf. Med. Bot. 2: 247. 1830. 
O. mesacantha Raf.; Ser. Bull. Bot. Gen. 216 1830. 
O. Rafinesquii Engelm. Pac. R. R. Rep. 4:41. 1856. 
Prostrate, similar to the preceding species; 
joints obovate to suborbicular, or oval, usually 
deep green, 3/-5’ long; leaves subulate, spread- 
ing, 3/’-5’’ long; bristles reddish brown; spines 
few, mostly near the margins of the joints, 1— 
4 together, whitish, or reddish at base and 
apex, deflexed, or the longer one spreading 
and 14/-1’ long; flowers yellow, often with a 
reddish centre, 214/-3%4’ broad; fruit club- 
shaped, not spiny, fleshy, edible, 114’-2/ long. 
In dry sandy or rocky soil, Minnesota to Ken- 
tucky, Missouriand Texas. Summer. A variable 
species, of which several varieties are described. 
3. Opuntia tortispina Engelm. 
Twisted-spined Cactus. 
(Fig. 2529.) 
Opuntia tortispina Engelm. Pac. R. R. 
Rep. 4:21. 1856. 
Stems prostrate, the orbicular-obo- 
vate flattened joints 6’-8’ long. Spines 
3-5, white, angled and channeled, 
sometimes twisted, the longer ones 
1%4/-2%4’ long, with 2-4 more slender 
and shorter ones; flowers sulphur-yel- 
low, 2'4/-3/ broad; fruit ovoid, fleshy, 
unarmed, about 2’ long and 1’ in diam- 
eter; seeds orbicular, slightly notched 
at the hilum, 2’/-3/’ wide. 
Plains of Nebraska to Texas. 
