PARADE OF THE DESERT FLOWERS 67 



evening. The thirteen to seventeen stiff awl-shaped radial 

 spines, one-fourth inch to one inch long, and the three or four 

 stout firm central thorns remind one of stiff tousled medium 

 brown hair partly turned gray, the colors being grayish, tan, 

 and brownish, all mixed together. The fruit, enormous 

 "strawberries," is covered by many spine clusters which at 

 maturity are easily rubbed off, leaving it quite smooth, of a 

 deep purple-red, with many small black seeds set in a pink- 

 ish mass of sweet tender pulp. The Pima and Papago In- 

 dians are very fond of this luscious cactus strawberry when 

 fully ripe and served with cream and sugar or cooked into 

 the most delicious conserves and jam; they gather it in con- 

 siderable quantities and occasionally one can buy the fruit 

 or preserves in their markets, in Arizona, Southern Cali- 

 fornia or old Mexico. And so Dr. Engelmann's Strawberry 

 Cactus has earned the name, also, of the Indian Strawberry 

 Cactus, or "Desert Strawberry." 



Spiny Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus 



polyacanthus) 



Northern Mexico, Southern Arizona, and Texas 



It is in Northern Mexico that we glimpse the Spiny Hedge- 

 hog Cactus, or, as the scientist names him for his many 

 spines, Echinocereus polyacanthus, a fierce thorny little fel- 

 low. He has fifteen sharp stout spines, somewhat flask- 

 shaped at the bases, and spreading, at first pale yellow, then 

 becoming pinkish gray or grayish purple with the tips mostly 

 darker, deep yellow to blackish shades. His flame-red blos- 

 soms, sometimes tinged with orange, are called single though 

 they seem to be clustered when abundant — large striking 

 flowers, several blooming at one time in early and late spring, 

 and remaining open for days, not closing up at night. 

 Though not specially abundant, polyacanthus is one of the 



