OPUNTIA. H9 



unequal, yellowish spines. Flowers borne on the upper edges ol 

 the last- ripened joints, 3 inches across, reddish-orange, produced 

 in July. Fruit rich carmine, about 3 inches long, pear-shaped, 

 West Indies. Introduced in 1731. (Fig. 62.) 



O. tunicata. 



Stem sub-erect, cylindrical. Joints club-shaped, variable in 

 length, 2 inches in diameter. When young the surface is covered 

 with oblong tubercles, each bearing a small cushion of whitish, 

 short hairs, and about half a dozen white spines, unequal in length, 

 the longest stout, and inclosed in a hard sheath, which becomes 

 broken and ragged when old. Mexico. Introduced in 1840. It 

 requires stove treatment. 



O. vulgarls. 



A low, prostrate, spreading plant. Joints short, oval, flattened, 

 thicker than in 0. missouriensis, 3 inches long by about 2 inches 

 broad. Spine -cushions f inch apart ; tufts very small, with occa- 

 sionally, a long spine. Leaves fleshy, small. Flowers 2 inches 

 across, pale sulphur-yellow ; produced freely in June. Fruits 

 nearly smooth, 1| inches long, brown when ripe, with a strong 

 disagreeable odour. Mexico to New York, usually near the coast. 

 Now common in many parts of Europe. In Madeira it has taken 

 possession of large areas and is perfectly at home there. In England 

 it was cultivated by Gerard some 300 years ago. It grows freely 

 in stony soil, exposed to full sunshine, in a sheltered position out- 

 side, where it will creep along the ground, and root all along its 

 stems, which rarely rise more than 6 inches from the ground. This 

 and 0. Ficus-indica have been confused by some authors. 



Whipplei. 



Stem usually prostrate, with slender, elongated branches, which 

 are cylindrical when old, broken up into short joints when young. 

 Joints varying in length from 2 inches to 1 foot, 1 inch in diameter. 

 Cushions small, round. Spines white, variable in number, and 

 arranged in tufts on the ends of the tubercles, one being 1 inch long, 

 the others shorter. Flowers nearly 2 inches in diameter, red, borne 

 in a cluster on the ends of the last-ripened joints in June. Fruit 



1 inch long, with a cavity in the top. Mexico. Requires stove 

 treatment. Is related to 0. arborescent, from which, however, it 

 is easily distinguished by the latter having a stout oantral spine 

 and numerous radiating ones. 



