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opuntia |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.04 sec. |
opuntiaAny plant of the genus Opuntia, the largest genus of the cactus family. Native to the New World, it has characteristic small bristles with backward-facing barbs. Subgroups are based on the form of the stem segments: chollas have cylindrical joints, while prickly pears have flat joints. Sizes range from tiny, cold-hardy forms to treelike varieties. In the Northern Hemisphere, opuntia is found farther north than any other cactus. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Hikes offered encounters - at a distance, preferably - with cardon (the world's largest cactus), prickly pears, jumping chollas, Spanish bayonets and old-man cactus. The joints of the chollas are round while those of the prickly pears are flat. By gorging on prickly pears, tepary beans, wolfberries, mesquite pods, mustard seeds, cholla blossoms and other wild or cultivated foods during the growing season, they managed to consume enough fuel to sustain them through times of drought. |
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