Chapter VIII: Conclusion

Finis cannot be written to any story which deals with the desert; for the desert call is a charm, it will etch away the heart of you until it brings you back; back to the long trek across burning arid wastes where you wondered first how any living thing could exist and where you _found_ life and beauty and music, back to the giant amphitheater of the desert where the moonbeams flit about at night among the weird Fantastic Clan and the sun boils everything up by day, defying you then to tarry long. But you take the dare and come again if you can, and yet again, wending your way farther each time across the foothills and mountains, ever in search of that evanescent something called the desert-spell or the thing that calls you back.

In our domestic lives we work hard for the few little things we have; many homes are devoid of the animation and color and the thrill of flower creations; for to have the beauty of plants and blossoms is to work for them and then to keep them, by dint of much effort and labor of love. But how different it is on the desert! There the flowers just grow and blossom and keep on blooming without care or cultivation from the hand of man. It seems never to rain in that great natural amphitheater of the sun, but the plants Nature has placed there, so carelessly, we fancy, just bloom and thrive and bloom again. Yet there is no confusion in their placement and pattern; they are filigree and patchwork, scroll and lacework; they represent all that is beautiful and symmetrical in Nature’s handiwork in this realm of desert bloom.

Man comes and goes through life, dancing in and out of the Great Scheme, but he has missed much of the picture and the skein of life if he has not gone out to see the desert. For it is there on the broad high mesas of these vast arid stretches that life begins and ends; it is this desert land of plants and flowers, the great dry region of the earth, that haunts us, fascinates us, beckons us, allures us, just as it did the ancient pueblo and cave dweller, in ages long gone by.

We have finished our long trip into the mysterious realm of the Fantastic Clan, and we hope that you have gone with us in fancy along all the devious and rocky paths into the habitats of the cactus plants, and sensed something of their strange and matchless growth, and much of their beauty and charm. For you have not seen Life in all its many and varied forms till you have viewed at least once the wondrous parade of the brilliant cactus flowers, and surveyed the gorgeous painted canvas flung far out over the burning mesas on the Great American Desert. And remember, too, the words of the poet:

“If you have not, then I could not tell,
For you could not understand.”
(Madge Morris: “Lure of the Desert”)

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

_acute_—ending in a point less than a right angle.
_Adiós, señor_—(Spanish) Good day, sir.
_anther_—the pollen-bearing body at the tip of the stamen.
_areola_—area or center of growth.
_ascending_—growing upward at an angle of forty or fifty degrees.
_ascending spreading_—growing at an angle of less than forty degrees.
_awl-shaped_—sharp-pointed from a broader base.

_bajadas_—mesalike mountain slopes.
_Bisnaga_—Barrel Cacti.
_bract_—a scale or small leaf.
_Buenas noches_—(Spanish) Good night.
_bulbous_—somewhat thickened or bulblike.

_Cactaceæ_—the botanical name for cacti or the cactus family of plants.
_calyx tube_—the tube formed by the union of the sepals.
_candelabralike_—with the branches growing somewhat regularly outward
and upward.
_central spines, or centrals_—the inner spines of a spine cluster.
_ciliate_—with a fringe of hairs.
_compressed_—flattened on opposite sides.
_constricted_—contracted at regular intervals.
_corona_—a crownlike circle or whorl of flower parts.
_creosote_—a desert shrub.
_cross-ridged_—marked transversely.

_deflexed_—bent downwards.
_dished_—concave or sunken in the center.
_divergent_—spreading.
_dwarf trees_—plants smaller than trees but with a main trunk.

_elliptical_—oval or oblong with the ends rounded.

_filaments_—the threadlike stalks of stamens.
_fissure_—a furrow caused by the bark splitting.
_fluted_—grooved or channeled vertically.
_Fuera_—(Spanish) Begone, get you gone.

_genera_—plural of “genus.”
_genus_—a group or division of a family of plants.
_glochidium_ (plural, _glochidia_)—a small fine needlelike body, a
spicule.

_mesa_—a broad high table-land or plateau.
_Mojave_—a desert in Southern California.

_obtuse_—blunt or rounded at the tip.

_persistent_—remaining in place beyond the usual time.
_petals_—the inner circle of flower leaves, usually bright-colored.
_prostrate_—lying flat on the ground.

_radial spines_, or _radials_—the outer spines of a cluster.
_recurved_—curved outward and backward.

_scale_—a thin colorless body, usually a reduced bract.
_scurfy_—with small transparent scales on the surface.
_sepals_—the outer circle of flower leaves, green or colored.
_shrub_—a woody plant branching from the base.
_spatulate_—shaped like an old-fashioned spatula with the tip broadened
and rounded.
_spicule_—a small fine needlelike body, also called a glochidium.
_spine_—a hardened and sharp-pointed modified branch or leaf, called
also a thorn.
_spinescent_—tipped with a spine or sharp point.
_stamen_—the male bearing organ consisting of anther and filament.
_stigma_—the tip of the style on which the pollen is deposited.
_style_—the stalk joining the ovary and the stigma.
_style branches_—the divisions of the style bearing the stigmas.

_translucent_—partially transparent.
_trek_—usually a trip by wagon, used here to signify a trip by
automobile, or simply a trip.
_tubercles_—knobby projections.

_Visnaga_—Barrel Cacti.
_viable_—capable of growth.
_Visnagita_—smaller plants of the Echinocactus Genus.

_whorls_—arrangement of plant parts in a circle around a stem.

PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY

_Adiós, señor_ (ä dē ôs´ sān yôr´)
Aggregata (ä grā gä´tä)
Arizonica (ăr ĭ zōn´ĭ kä)
Acanthocarpa (ä kän thō kär´pä)
Acanthodes (ä kän´thō dēs)

_Bajadas_ (bȧ hä´dȧs)
Basilaris (bäs ĭl ä´rĭs)
Bisnaga (bĭs nä´gȧ)
Bigelovii (bĭg ĕl ō´vē ē)
Blakeana (blāk ä´nä)
_Buenas noches_ (bo͞o ā´nȧs nô´chās)
Bonkeræ (bŏn´kēr ī͜͡ē)

_Cabecita del Viejo_ (kä vā cē´tȧ dĕl vē ā´hō)
Cactaceæ (kăk tā´cē ē)
Chlorotica (klō röt´ĭ kä)
Cereus (cē´rē ŭs)
Cholla (chōl´yȧ); _commonly_ (choy´ȧ)
Coccineus (kŏk ĭn´nā üs)
Coryphantha (kôr ĭ fän´thä)
Covillei (kō vĭl´ē)

Deeringii (dēr ĭn´jĭ ē)
Deserti (dĕz ēr´tē)
Delicata (dĕl ĭ kä´tä)
Discata (dĭs kä´tä)

Echinocereus (ĕk ī nō cē´rē ŭs)
Echinocactus (ĕk ī nō căc´tŭs)
Emoryi (ĕm´ôr ē)
Engelmannii (ĕn gĕl män´ē ē)

Fasciculata (fä sĭk o͞o lä´tä)
Fendleri (fĕnd´lēr ē)
_Fuera_ (fo͞o ā´rȧ)
Fulgida (fŭl´gĭ dä)

Genus (jē´nŭs)
Genera (jĕn´ēr ȧ)
Giganteus (jī găn tē´ŭs)
Gila (hē´lȧ)
Greggii (grĕg´gē ē)
Grahamii (grā´ȧm ē)

Hamatacanthus (häm ä tä kän´thüs)
Horizonthalonius (hôr ĭ zŏn thä lō nē üs)
Hystricina (hĭs trĭ cē´nä)

Johnsonii (jŏn´sŭn ē)
Junco Espinoso (hün´kō ās pē nō´sō)

Lævis (lī͜͡ē´vĭs)
Le Contei (lĕ kŏn´tē)
Leeanus (lē ä´nüs)
Leptocaulis (lĕp tō cau´lĭs)
Linguiformis (Lĭn gwĭ fôr´mĭs)

Mainæ (mān´ī͜͡ē)
MacDougalii (măk do͞o´gȧl ē)
Mammilla (măm mĭl´lȧ)
Mammillaria (măm mĭl lā´rē ȧ)
Macrocentra (mä krō cĕn´trä)
Mesa (mā´sȧ)
Mojave (mō hä´vā)
Mojavensis (mō hä vĕn´sēs)

Nogales (nō găl´ĕs)

Oliviæ (ō lĭv´ĭ ī͜͡ē)
Olla (ŏl´ȧ); _commonly_ (ôy´ȧ)
Opuntia (ō pŭn´shĭ ȧ)

Papago (pä pȧ gō´)
Parryi (păr´rĭ ē)
Pima (pē´mȧ)
Pentagonus (pĕn tä gō´nüs)
Platopuntia (plăt ō pŭn´shĭ ȧ)
Polyacanthus (pŏl ĭ ä kän´thüs)
Polyancistrus (pŏl ĭ än cĭs´trüs)
Polycephalus (pŏl ĭ cĕf´ä lüs)
Pitahaya (pĭt ȧ hī´yȧ)
Pringlei (prĭn´gȧl ē)

Recurvata (rā ko͞or vä´tä)
Rigidissimus (rĭj ĭ dĭs´sĭ müs)
Robustispina (rō bŭs tĭs pē´nä)
Rosei (rōz´ē)
Rostii (rŏs´tĭ ē)

San Gorgonio (săn gôr gôn´ē ō)
San Bernardino (săn bēr när dē´nō)
Sahuaro (sȧ wah´rō)
San Luis Potosí (săn lü ēs´ pôt ō sē´)
Santa Monica (săn tȧ mŏn´ĭ kȧ)
Santa Rita (săn tȧ rē´tȧ)
Schottii (shŏt´ĭ ē)
Senilis (sĕn´ĭl ĭs)
Serpentinus (sĕr pĕn tē´nüs)
Sonora (sō nôr´ȧ)
Spinosior (spin ō´sĭ ôr)
Stanlyi (stăn´lĭ ē)

Tasajo (tȧ sä´hō)
Tetrancistera (tĕt rän cĭs tĕr´ä)
Tetracantha (tĕt rä kän´thä)
Thornberi (thôrn´bēr ē)
Thurberi (thŭr´bēr ē)
Toumeyi (to͞o´mē ē)
Tucson (to͞o sŏn´)

Versicolor (vēr sĭ´cȯl ôr)
Viridescens (vĭr ĭ dĕs´ĕns)
Viridiflora (vĭr ĭd ĭ flôr´ä)
Visnaga (vĭs nä´gȧ)
Visnagita (vĭs nȧ gē´tȧ)

Whipplei (whĭp´pȧl ē)
Wislizeni (wĭs lĭ zĕn´ē)

INDEX

A
Areola, 30-31
Arizona Pincushion, 44, 59-60

B
Baby Cacti, 32-61
Barrel Cacti, 123, 154-84
Beaver Tail, 100, 115
Bent Spine Pincushion, 50-51
_Bergorocactus Emoryi_, 5
Bisnaga, 123, 154-84
Black Spined Pincushion, 45, 61
Brown Pincushion, 42, 55
Buckhorn Cholla, 127, 143-44
Bunny Cactus, 6, 21-22
Burning Cactus, 65

C
_Cabecita del Viejo_, 71, 83-85
Cacti
distribution of, 2, 27-28, 89
how to grow, 16-17
locations for cultivation of, 17
peculiarities of, 27-29, 35
spines and flowers of, 29-31
California Barrel Cactus, 162, 177-78
California Cholla, 126, 141-42
California Hedgehog Cactus, 65, 76
California Pincushion, 45, 60
Candy Barrel Cactus, 159, 173-74
Candy Cactus, 161
Cane Cacti, 120-52
_Carnegiea gigantea_, 9
Caterpillar Cactus, 2-3, 19
_Cephalocereus senilis_, 6
_Cereus_ Genus, 1-26
_Deeringii_, 13
_Emoryi_, 5-6, 21
_eruca_, 2-3, 19
_giganteus_, 9-12, 24-25
_Greggii_, 12-15, 25-26
growth and habitats, 2
how to identify and how to grow, 17-18
_pentagonus_, 13
_Schottii_, 3-5, 20
_senilis_, 6-7, 21-22
_serpentinus_, 8-9, 18, 23-24
_Thurberi_, 7-8, 22-23
_undatus_, 13
Chirinola, 2-3, 19
Cholla, 89, 93
Common Pincushion Cactus, 41, 54
Compass Cactus, 159
_Coryphantha_ Genus, 23, 34-37, 38-39, 44, 47-49, 50-52, 58-60
_aggregata_, 44, 58-59
_arizonica_, 44, 59-60
_deserti_, 36, 48-49
habitats, 46
how to identify and how to grow, 47-48
_recurvata_, 38, 50-51
_robustispina_, 39, 51-52
Cow’s Tongue, 96, 112
Cream Cactus, 37, 49-50
Cream Pincushion Cactus, 40, 53
Creeping Devil Cactus, 2, 19
Crimson Flowered Hedgehog Cactus, 65, 73, 86-87
Cursed Cholla, 137, 138, 150-51
Cylindropuntia, 120-52

D
Delicate Prickly Pear, 91-92, 108-109
Desert-Afire, 65, 76
Desert Christmas Cactus, 127, 128, 142-43
Desert Pincushion, 48-49
Desert Strawberry Cactus, 67, 70, 78, 82-83
Devil Cholla, 137, 138, 150-51
Devil’s Pincushion, 39, 51-52
Discus Prickly Pear, 97-99, 113

E
_Echinocactus_ Genus, 154-84
_acanthodes_, 162, 177-78
_Covillei_, 157, 171-72
_erectocentrus_, 156, 170-71
growth and habitats, 154
_hamatacanthus_, 165, 181
_horizonthalonius_, 158, 172-73
how to identify and how to grow, 168-69
_intertextus_, 155, 169-70
_Johnsonii_, 161, 175-76
_Le Contei_, 160, 174-75
_longihamatus_, 181
_polyancistrus_, 163, 178
_polycephalus_, 164, 180
_Pringlei_, 165, 181-82
_Rostii_, 161, 176-77
_viridescens_, 164, 179
_Visnaga_, 166, 182-83
_Whipplei_, 167, 183-84
_Wislizeni_, 159, 173-74
_Echinocereus_ Genus, 63-87
_Bonkeræ_, 71-73, 85
_chrysocentrus_, 65-66, 77-78
_coccineus_, 73, 86-87
_Engelmannii_, 66, 78-79
_Fendleri_, 69, 82-83
growth and habitats, 63-65
how to identify and how to grow, 74-76
_Leeanus_, 68, 80-81
_mojavensis_, 65, 76
_polyacanthus_, 67, 79-80
_rigidissimus_, 71, 83-85
_Rosei_, 68, 81-82
_Echinomastus erectocentrus_, 170-71
Engelmann’s Hedgehog Cactus, 66, 78
Engelmann’s Prickly Pear, 99, 113-14
Engelmann’s Strawberry Cactus, 67

F
Fendler’s Hedgehog Cactus, 69, 82-83
_Ferocactus_
_acanthodes_, 177-78
_Covillei_, 171-72
_Johnsonii_, 175-76
_Le Contei_, 161, 174-75
_Pringlei_, 181-82
_Rostii_, 176-77
_viridescens_, 179
_Wislizeni_, 159, 173-74
Fishhook Cactus, 159, 173-74, 178
Flapjack Prickly Pear, 103, 116-17
Foothill Prickly Pear, 95, 96, 111
Foxtail Cactus, 36-37, 48-49

G
Giant Cactus, 9-12, 24-25, 123
Giant Visnaga, 166, 182-83
Goddess of the Night, 13, 15
Golden Prickly Pear, 101-103, 116
Golden Spined Barrel Cactus, 129, 144-45, 161, 176-77
Golden Spined Strawberry Cactus, 65, 77-78
Green Flowered Pincushion, 43, 57-58
Green Stemmed Visnaga, 164, 179

H
Harem Cactus, 164, 180
Hedgehog Cactus, 5, 63-87, 123
Horned Toad Cactus, 42, 56
How to identify and how to grow,
Barrel Cacti, 168-69
Cereus Cacti, 17-18
Cholla Cacti, 140-41
Hedgehog or Strawberry Cacti, 74-76
Pincushion Cacti, 47-48
Prickly Pear Cacti, 106-107

I
Indian Strawberry Cactus, 66, 70, 78, 82-83
Interlacing Spine Cactus, 155, 169-70

J
Jumping Cholla, 136, 138, 149-50
_Junco Espinoso_, 8

L
Lemonade Cactus, 166
Lengua de Vaca, 96, 112
Limos de Visnaga, 181-82
Long Spined Prickly Pear, 100, 105, 114-15
_Lophocereus Schottii_, 3

M
Mammillaria Genus, 33, 34-36, 37, 40-44, 45-46, 47-48, 49-50,
52-58, 60-61
_fasciculata_, 40, 52
_Grahamii_, 41, 54
growth of, 34-36
habitats of, 46-47
how to identify and how to grow, 47-48
_Johnstonii_, 40, 53
_MacDougalii_, 37, 49-50
_Mainæ_, 42, 56
_Milleri_, 45, 61
_Olivæ_, 43, 57
_tetrancistera_, 45, 60
_Thornberi_, 40, 52
_viridiflora_, 43, 57-58
_Wilcoxii_, 41, 55
Many Colored Tree Cholla, 130-32, 135, 145-46
Many Hooked Visnagita, 163, 178
Mexican Fruit Cactus, 165, 181
Mexican Lime Cactus, 165, 181-82
Mexican Night Blooming Cereus, 8, 23-24
Mojave Hedgehog, 65, 76
Mound Cactus, 164, 180

N
Nigger Head, 159, 160-61, 174-75
Night Blooming Cereus, 12-15, 25-26
Nopals, 106
_Nyctocereus serpentinus_, 8

O
Old Man Cactus, 6-7, 21-22
_Opuntia_ Genus (Cholla), 89, 93, 119-52
_acanthocarpa_, 127, 143-44
_arbuscula_, 128, 133, 147
_Bigelovii_, 129, 144-45
_fulgida_, 136, 138, 149-50
growth and habitats, 120-25
how to identify and how to grow, 140-41
_leptocaulis_, 127, 128, 142-43
_Parryi_, 126, 141-42
_spinosior_, 134, 148
_Stanlyi_, 137, 138, 150-51
_tetracantha_, 131, 132, 146
_Thornberi_, 133, 135, 148
_versicolor_, 130-32, 135, 145-46
_Whipplei_, 93, 137, 151-52
_Opuntia_ Genus (Prickly Pears), 89-118
_basilaris_, 100, 115
_Blakeana_, 90-91, 107-108
_chlorotica_, 103, 116-17
_Covillei_, 101-103, 116
_delicata_, 91-92, 108-109
_discata_, 97-99, 113
_Engelmannii_, 99, 113-14
growth and habitat, 89-90, 120-21, 123-25
how to identify and how to grow, 106-107
_hystricina_, 104-106, 117-18
_laevis_, 94-95, 110
_linguiformis_, 96, 112
_macrocentra_, 100, 105, 114-15
_santa rita_, 92-94, 109-10
_Toumeyi_, 95-96, 111

P
Papago Fruit Cactus, 90-91, 107-108
Pincushion Cacti, 33, 34-61, 123
Pineapple Cactus, 51-52
Pink-Flowered Visnagita, 161, 175-76
Pipe Organ Cactus, 7-8, 22-23
Pitahaya, 7, 22-23
Pitahaya dulce, 8
Platopuntia, 106, 120
Popular Cholla, 131, 132, 146
Porcupine Prickly Pear, 104-106, 117-18
Prickly Pear Cacti, 89-118, 120-21, 124-25
Prohibition Cactus, 5-6, 21
Prolific Tree Cholla, 128, 133, 147
Purple Prickly Pear, 92-94, 109-10
Purple Spined Visnagita, 156, 170-71

Q
Queen of Night, 8, 14, 25-26

R
Rainbow Cactus, 70, 83-85
Recurved Spine Pincushion, 38, 50-51
Reina de Noche, 8, 14, 23-24, 25-26
_Rhipsalis_ Genus, 27
Rose’s Hedgehog Cactus, 68, 81-82

S
Sage of the Desert, 10, 11, 24-25
Sahuaro, 9-12, 24-25
Salmon-Flowered Hedgehog Cactus, 68, 80-81
_Schottii_, 3-5, 20
_Sclerocactus_
_polyancistrus_, 178
_Whipplei_, 183-84
Senita, 3-5, 20
Serpent Cactus, 8-9, 18, 23-24
Short Spined Strawberry Cactus, 71-73, 85
Showy Pincushion, 44, 58-59
Sina, 3-5, 20
Slender Pincushion Cactus, 40, 52
Smooth Prickly Pear, 94-95, 110
Snowball Cactus, 43, 57
Spiny Hedgehog Cactus, 67
Spiny Tree Cholla, 134, 148
Strawberry Cacti, 63-87
Sunset Cactus, 41, 54

T
Tasajillo, 128, 142-43
Tasajo, 134, 148
Teddy Bear Cactus, 144-45
Thornber’s Cholla, 133, 135, 148
Traveler’s Compass, 158, 171-72
Traveler’s Friend, 157-58, 159, 171-72
Turk’s Head, 158, 172-73

V
Vela de Cojote, 137
Visnaga, 154-84

W
Whipple’s Cholla, 93, 137, 151-52
Whipple’s Visnagita, 167, 183-84
White Persian Cat Cactus, 6, 21-22

Z
Zina, 3-5, 20

Transcriber’s Notes

--Silently corrected a number of palpable typos and
inconsistently-formatted items.

--In HTML and UTF versions, represented all diacritical marks; some marks
were omitted in ASCII.

--In the text versions, delimited text in italics by _underscores_.