80 MIDLAND NATURALIST 
R. Dodonaeus has the same in Latin: ‘‘Oblonga autem Ficus 
Indicae lataque; sunt folio pollice non raro crassiora, e quibus 
albidae, tenues oblongae, acutaeque prominent spinae (raro absque 
Ais provenit.) The translation is in substance the same as above. 
Stapelius in 1644, in his commentary on the works of 
Dioscorides says that ‘in Belgium sometimes the plant is found with- 
out any spines.’ 
. 40. Oblonga autem ficus Indicae lataq.; sunt folia, pollice 
nonnunquam crassiora, e quibus candicantes tenues, oblongae, 
acutaeque prominent spinae (Quandoque tameu in Belgica absque his 
provenit.) in extremis etc." He also mentions the name Tune or 
Tunas, as the one commonly used by the natives. ‘‘Ab Indis Tune 
veltunas vocatur. In insulis Peruanis et potiissimum Hispaniola 
sponte crescit.’’ 
John Bauhin in his Historia Plantarum Universalis, 1650, re- 
ferring to the works of Matthioli says that the latter had 
mentioned spineless plants. Matthioli’s reference however 1 have 
not been able to find. Neither the rst edition of his sd 
1554, nor the edition of 1559 make any mention of the fac 
J. Bauhin and J. H. Cherler, Historia Plantarum hastens 
1650. p. 154. 
'* Opuntia, Vulgo beato de 
"Ipsa vero quoqueim magnam evadit arborem, cui folia magna 
longitudine interdum ku: pedali, latitudine sesquipadali, ex 
oblongo rotundata, pollicem crassa, infima etiam crassiora duriora- 
ue supremis foris membrana tecta plurimis tuberculis asperata, e 
quibus spinulae albae acutae, facile contrectanti adhaerentes, 
infixoque aculeo stationem nativam deferentes. [Matth., etiam 
sine spinulis visa testatur\ succo intus turgentia colore herbaceo 
| UPC, 
It is evident then that spineless forms of Opuntia were known 
in the 16th century. It is also evident that strictly speaking the 
name Opuntia is applied to the cactaceous plant is a synonyme, 
Pliny's plant being an entirely different one. In fact in the work 
of Bartholomaeus Anglus, + printed in 1480, there is a commentary 
on the plant of Pliny though very little light is thrown by this 
writer on its identity, but that it is not a cactaceous plant is self 
evident, such not having been known before the discovery of 
America 
* John Bauhin and J. H. Cherler, Historia emn Universalis. 1650. 
t Bartholomaeus Anglus, Deproprietatibus. 1480 
