204 GRIFFITHS: NEW AND OLD SPECIES OF OPUNTIA 
cultivation with us since that date at both the Texas stations and 
Chico, California. At San Antonio, Texas, winter protection was 
necessary. 
OPUNTIA MARITIMA Raf. 
Opuntia maritima Raf. Fl. Med. 2: 247. 1830 (nomen nudum); 
Atlantic Jour. 1: 146. 1832. 
A hemispherical shrub a meter or less in height with erect, 
ascending, or even reclining arms; joints obovate, about 10x 17 cm., 
raised, tubercular at areoles, at first yellowish-green, but soon 
becoming glaucous gray-green, the tuberculation persisting for 
two or more years; leaves short, conical, 4-5 mm. long; areoles at 
first brown, subcircular or transversely elongated but finally 
elongated to 6 mm. on the sides of the joints and 3-4 mm. wide, 
on edges often becoming 4 x 7 mm.; spicules yellow in a crescentic 
tuft in center of areole, entirely surrounded by the brown wool, 
but later in an enlarged tuft occupying all of the upper part of the 
areole; spines I to 4, yellow, 1-2.5 cm. long, porrect, diverging 
but little; flower buds yellowish-green with closely appressed, 
short, wide floral segments; flowers yellow, turning to. orange 
within at close of day, 6-7 cm. in diameter when opened, filaments 
greenish-tinged below, white above but becoming slightly tinged 
with red above at close of day, style white becoming tinged with 
red above at close of day, stigma white, 9-parted, subglobose to 
conical, truncate; fruit purplish-red throughout, pyriform, the 
stipe usually turning color tardily, about 46 x 80 mm., shallowly 
to deeply pitted. [PLATE 10.] 
There appears to be no question but that the main coastal 
Opuntia of Florida is O. maritima of Rafinesque, although it does 
not appear to be so recognized in the literature. With reference 
to its affinity I will say that in my opinion it is more closely related 
to the South American group QO. inermis DC. than any other. 
As the day advances the flower of this species turns to deeper 
yellow or almost orange within and to a deeper yellow in the distal 
portions of the petals as well. At the close of the day, or often 
early in the afternoon, the filaments and the apex of the style 
may show a slight tinge of reddish or orange-reddish, as is common 
in so many species. Color notes on Opuntia flowers are therefore 
of little value unless accompanied by an indication of the approxi- 
mate time at which they were made. 
It is a very prolific species, producing with us in California an 
