CACTACEAE. [Vol.. 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, s'-S' wide. 

 Spines 1-3, flattened, reddish brown to 

 blackish, 1%'-$' long, or with 3-6 ad- 

 ditional shorter ones, the upper one sub- 

 erect, the others deflexed or spreading; 

 fruit oval, deep red, juicy, i>'-2' long; 

 seeds angular, margined, deeply notched 

 at the hilum, 2"-3" broad. 



Western Kansas (according: to Hitch- 

 cock), Colorado to Texas and Arizona. 



5. Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Many-spined Opuntia. (Fig. 2531.) 



Cactus ferox Nutt. Gen. i: 296. 1818. 



Not Will.l. i- 

 Opunlia polyacantha Haw. Syn. PI. Succ. 



Suppl. 82. 1819. 

 Opuntia Missouriensis DC. Prodr. 3: 472. 



1828. 



Prostrate, joints broadly obovate to or- 

 bicular, tubercled, 2 / -6 / long, about ft" 

 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, i'-l>' 

 long. 



Prairies and dry soil. South Dakota to 

 British Columbia, south to Nebraska, Mi- 

 souri, Utah and New Mexico. Variable. 

 May-June. 



6. Opuntia fragilis ( Nutt.) Haw. Brittle 

 Opuntia. (Fig. 2532.) 



Cactus fragilis Nutt. Gen. i: 296. 1818. 



Opnntia fragilis Haw. Syn. PI. Succ. Suppl. 82. 1819. 



Decumbent or prostrate; joints ovate, i '-2' long, 

 somewhat flattened or nearly terete. Leaves very 

 small, reddish; cushions composed of few bristles; 

 central spines 1-4, >'-i#' long, gray, darker at 

 the apex, surrounded by 4-6 smaller ones; flowers 

 yellow, smaller than those of the preceding spe- 

 cies; fruit nearly i'' 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. 



