Spineless Tuna
Opuntia Basilaris, Var. Ramosa, Parish. Cactus Family
Low; spreading; branching freely above. Joints.—Flat; smooth; without large spines, but with close tufts of minute bristles; obovate or fan-shaped; five to eight inches long; nearly as wide at the top. Flowers.—Large; brilliant rose-magenta; two or three inches long. Fruit.—Dry; sub-globose. (Flower-structure as in O. Engelmanni.) Hab.—The southern deserts and San Bernardino Mountains.
In the arid regions of the southern interior, this Opuntia is a very common one, and its large, brilliant rose-magenta flowers attract the attention wherever seen. They are very tempting blossoms, and it is hard to resist them, even though we know the penalty will be the conversion of thumbs and fingers into pin-cushions for innumerable, minute, tormenting thorns.