464 CACTACEAE. [Vor II. 
4. Opuntia Camanchica 
Engelm. Comanche Cactus. 
(Fig. 2530.) 
Opuntia Camanchica Engelm. Pac. R. R. 
Rep. 4:40. 1856. 
Prostrate, with obovate-orbicular flat- 
tened joints 6/-8’ long, 5/-8’ wide. 
Spines 1-3, flattened, reddish brown to 
blackish, 14%4’-3/ long, or with 3-6 ad- 
ditional shorter ones, the upper one sub- 
erect, the others deflexed or spreading; 
fruit oval, deep red, juicy, 14’-2’ long; 
seeds angular, margined, deeply notched 
at the hilum, 2’’-3’’ broad. 
Western Kansas (according to Hitch- 
cock), Colorado to Texas and Arizona. 
sats aa 
5. Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Many-spined Opuntia. (Fig. 2531.) 
Cactus ferox Nutt. Gen. 1: 296. 1818. 
Not Willd. 1813. 
Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Syn. Pl. Succ. 
Suppl. 82. 1819. 
Opuntia Missouriensis DC. Prodr. 3: 472. 
1828, 
Prostrate, joints broadly obovate to or- 
bicular, tubercled, 2’-6’ long, about 6/’ 
thick, the tubercles 2’ high, densely 
spiny and with cushions of fine bristles; 
spines 5-12, slender, 6’/-2’ long, whitish; 
leaves minute; flowers light yellow, 2/- 
3/ broad; fruit dry, very prickly, 1/-14’ 
long. 
Prairies and dry soil, South Dakota to 
British Columbia, south to Nebraska, Mis- 
souri, Utah and New Mexico. Variable. 
May-June. 
6. Opuntia fragilis (Nutt.) Haw. Brittle 
Opuntia. (Fig. 2532.) 
Cactus fragilis Nutt. Gen. 1: 296. 1818. 
Opuntia fragilis Haw. Syn. Pl. Succ. Suppl. 82. 1819. 
Decumbent or prostrate; joints ovate, 1/-2’ long, 
somewhat flattened or nearly terete. Leaves very 
small, reddish; cushions composed of few bristles; 
central spines 1-4, 14/-114’ long, gray, darker at 
the apex, surrounded by 4-6 smaller ones; flowers 
yellow, smaller than those of the preceding spe- 
cies; fruit nearly 1’ long, becoming dry at maturity, 
provided with cushions of bristles usually bearing 
a few short spines. 
Prairies and dry soil, Wisconsin and Minnesota to 
Wyoming and Utah, south to Kansas and New Mexico. 
