210 



DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHRUBS 



.-^. 3 



FIG. 333. Eastern Prickly Pear. 





I 



. 



-.'&* 1 * 

 II 



' 



Fir,. .'>;!.">. Purple Cactus. 



FIG. 334. Western Prickly Pear. 



which are trees in size and plan 

 of branching, so a few words 

 will be given to them. They 

 can all be readily recognized 

 by their fleshy spine-covered 

 growth without foliage leaves. 

 The most abundant and hardy 

 group is the Prickly 'Pear,' 

 with flat jointed branching 

 stems and large, generally yel- 

 low, flowers followed by usu- 

 ally edible pulpy pear-like fruit 

 with many shining seeds. The 

 largest and most tree-like is 

 wild in the region of the 

 Rocky Mountains, TREE-LIKE 

 PRICKLY TEAK' Opuntia ar- 

 bore"scens. EASTERN PRICKLY 

 ' PEAR ' (333) Opuntia vulgiiris 

 is found from Massachusetts 

 and south. There are sev- 



