THE CACTUS FAMILY 



59 



it is good for them to be protected hy sharp spines and dispense 



with their leaves. 



There are three distinct forms of them, namely the globular 



(fig. 62, the central 



plant), the columnar 



(fig. 62, to the right), 



and the lobed or jointed 



(fig. 60). The Prickly 



Pear {Opuntia Dillenii) 



and the night-flowering 



Cereus have very showy 



flowers. Their fruits 



are soft and edible. Tn 



Mexico the Prickly 



Pear is cultivated for 



the sake of the cochi- 

 neal insect that lives 



on it and yields a red dye. Here in India it is used for hedges. 



Lately a variety of Opuntia without 

 prickles was reared, which will, perhaps, 

 enable us to make deserts more habit- 

 able, if the plant can now be used as 

 fodder for cattle. 



One plant, often called 'Cactus' is 

 really a Euphorbia; it has to live under 

 similar conditions and has developed the 

 habits and appearance of the Cactus 

 (see Euphorbiacece). 



Fig. 62. — A group of Cactaceae. 



Fig. G3. — Bryophyllwn 

 calycinum. 



Brijophtjllum calycinum {Kan. Kadubasale) belongs to an alHed 

 family, the Crassidacece, and is also xerophilous in its habits and 

 structure. Adventitious buds are formed in the edges of the leaves, 

 from which young plants are produced. 



