PRICKLY PEARS NOJT WILD IN INDIA. 
t97 
plant from Anderson, and Anderson gave the specimen to Rottler which 
is preserved at Kew, with the label Cactus coccinellifer. Ex. horto 
Andersoniano. Madras, April, 1809/^ The specimen is undoubtedly 
what it claims to be : and again a drawing left by Roxburgh un- 
questionably represents this species. Anderson had received his two 
original living plants from the Royal Gardens at Kcw. 
Opuntia moiiacantha : — Undoubtedly both grew Opuntia monac- 
antha. A drawing in Roxburgh's collection proves that he had it, and 
Rottler preserved a si:»ecimen from Anderson'^s garden with the label 
Cactus Silvester, nob. Caulib. erectis, articulato-proliferis, articul. 
obovat., compress,, lucido-viridibus. Spinis setae, subsolitariis, apicibus 
fuscis. Corollis patentibus. Pistillo staminibus longiore. Fructu viridi. 
Pabulum coccinellarum sylvaticarum. Ex horto Anderson. April 19, 
1809.^^ Opuntia monacantha was the prickly pear on which Roxburgh 
grew the cochineal insect ; and certainly when he sent the insect to 
Anderson he must have sent branches of the plant also ; so that Ander- 
son could grow it then, if he wished, and had not (but I believe that he 
had) got plantations of it already. Roxburgh figured this prickly pear, 
with the cochineal insect on it : and the description of his Cactus indicus 
demonstrates conclusively that Opuntia monacantha is what he called by 
that. name. 
The Chinese Opuntia— apparently 0. decuniana Of Roxburgh's 
Cactus chinensis a figure was left by him. It is of a thornless lanceolate- 
ovate joint with a pale salmon-pink flower springing from near the base ; 
some of the petals are notched in the centre at the top and all are 
slightly serrated on the upper margin ; the stamens and style nearly 
equal them. Mr. N. E. Brown thinks that the drawing may be identified 
as representing Opuntia decuniana and apparently correctly, for though 
the shape of the joint would be unusual on a well rooted plant, it is just such 
as arises first on a cutting in Calcutta. Wallich in a Manuscript 
Catalogue of the Botanic Garden at Shibpur says that William Beale sent 
the same species to him in 1839. 
Opuntia ela tier : — Undoubtedly Anderson grew Opuntia elatior. 
Bottler's specimen tells us so : it is labelled Cactus Ficus-indica. 
Caulibus ercctis, articulis obovatis compressis glaucis. Spinis setaceis 
congestis divaricatis. Corollarum petalis coarctatis, rubescente flavis. 
Pistillo filamentis breviore. Fructu rubro, A coccinellis svlvatlcis 
hoec species non comeditur. Ex horto Andersoniano. April 19, 1809." 
Roxburgh’s “Cactus Ficus-indica ” probably the same as Aiton’s:— 
Roxburgh grew a Cactus P’icus-indica.''^ There is no proof that it 
