0153 



CACTUS. 



Family: NOPALEES. [Translator's note: the family is now called Cactaceae.] 

 Reproductive system: ICOSANDRY, MONOGYNY. 



The prickly pear cactus, Cactus opuntia, Linn. [Translator's note: the genus 

 name is now Opuntia; it includes many species], is found in Provence acclimatized in the 

 most barren spots, often among rocks. I've eaten its fruit on occasion; it's sweet, rather 

 bland, and much inferior to that of the fig tree which is carefully cultivated in this 

 province [Translator '$ note: the author may be referring to the figuier d'Inde or Indian 

 fig tree, Opuntia ficus-indica.] The stalk of this candle-like tree is made up of flattened, 

 fleshy, oval or oblong segments set one above the other. It grows seven or eight feet high 

 and becomes almost cylindrical as it ages. The segment joints, as well as the calyxes, are 

 studded with clusters of short, irregular yellow spines. Occasionally there are one or two 

 small, deciduous, cylindrical, pointed leaves at the bases of the spines. The flowers, 

 situated at the tops of the upper segments, are a pale yellow. The calyx is ovoid and 

 fleshy. The corolla consists of a number of irregular petals arranged in several rows. 

 There is a very large number of stamens on the calyx. The ovary is simple, adherent, and 

 crowned by a single style with a five-lobed stigma. The fruit is a red, pulpy, ovoid berry 

 containing several seeds. 



FLOWERS: June and July. 



RANGE: southern America, and acclimatized in Provence and Piedmont. 



NOMENCLATURE. The genus name [Translator's note: i.e Cactus] comes from 

 the Greek verb kaio, to burn, because the prick of its spines causes a burning pain. In 

 German it's called die gemeine indianische feige [Translator \s note: common Indian fig]. 

 Dutch, gewoone vygplant. English, the common Indian Jig. Spanish, tunal, higos depala. 

 Commonly, le figuier d'Inde, la semelle dupape [Translator's note: Indian fig, the 

 pope's slipper]. 



