FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS OF ARIZONA 615 



27. Opuntia leptocaulis DC. Pari- Mus. Hist. Nat. Mem. 17: 118. 



1828. 



Cylindropuntia leptocaulis Knuth in Back, and Knuth, Kaktus- 



ABC 122. 1935. 



Southern Arizona. 1.000 to 5,000 feet. May and June. Texas. New 

 Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico. 



Common and variable, especially in respect to development of the 

 spines, but the small scarlet fruits, very slender stems, and small 

 size of the plant mark the species well. 



28. Opuntia bigelovii Engelm., Amer. Acad. Arts and Sci. Proc. 3: 



307. 1856. 



Cylindropuntia bigelovii Knuth in Back, and Knuth. Kaktus- 

 ABC 125. 1935. 



Western and southern Arizona, up to 3.000 feet, common on talus 

 slopes, February to May. type from Mohave County. Southwestern 

 Utah and southern Nevada to Sonora and Baja California. 



Jumping cholla. teddybear cactus. The plants occur in abundance 

 on warm slopes of desert mountains. The combination of barbed 

 spines and densely armed, very easily detached joints has earned 

 profound respect for this formidable cholla. 



29. Opuntia echinoearpa Engelm. and Bigel. in Engelm., Amer. Acad. 



Arts and Sci. Proc. 3: 305. 1856. 



Cylindropuntia echinoearpa Knuth hi Back, and Knuth. Kak- 

 tus-ABC 124. 1935. 



Mohave and Yuma Counties, up to 3.000 feet. April, type from 

 Mohave County. Southwestern Utah and southern Nevada to Ari- 

 zona and Baja California. 



30. Opuntia thornberi Thornber and Bonker, Fantastic Clan 133. 



1932. 

 Southern Yavapai County to Graham and Pima Counties. 1.500 to 

 3.500 feet, foothills and detrital slopes. April and May. type from 

 southern Arizona. Known only from Arizona. 



31. Opuntia acanthocarpa Engelm. and Bieel. in Engelm., Amer. 



Acad. Arts and Sci. Proc. 3: 308. 1856. 



Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa Knuth in Back, and Knuth. 

 Kaktus-ABC 124. 1935. 



Mohave. Yavapai. Maricopa. Pinal. Puna, and Yuma Counties, 

 common, 500 + o 3.500 feet, flowering in spring, type from Mohave 

 County. Southwestern Utah and southern Nevada to Sonora and 

 southern California. 



The typical form is a robust plant of open habit, commonly 2 to 3 

 m. high, with the younger branches ascending at acute angles and the 

 joints at least 2.5 cm. thick. In var. ramosa Peebles the plant is 

 bushy, 1 or 2 m. high, with joints less than 2.5 cm. thick and the 

 flowers red. yellow, or variegated. The Pima Indians use the flower 

 buds of var. ramosa for food. The product, which is prepared by a 

 steaming process, keeps well and is eaten as needed, usually in com- 

 bination with pinole or saltbush greens. 



