Monday, November 12, 2012

Binomen Art - Opuntia


Opuntia Spelled Out on an Opuntia Pad (left) and Many Pads (right)
OpuntiaOpuntia
Some go to Las Vegas for the gambling and partying. I go for the plants, grandma’s plants to be specific. In her yard, in Henderson with a view of the strip in the distance, I spend hours poking around. I’m always intrigued by plants that don’t grow where I live. Case in point, a very large prickly pear cactus (Opuntia). I found a pad on the ground, brought in the house, cleaned it up and thought about carving it. However, in the end just wrote on it and set it back outside.

The generic name, Opuntia, according to Quattrocchi is:

Latin herba Opuntia, from Opus, Opuntis “a town of Locris, in Greece,” Opuntius, a, um “Opuntin,” Greek Opous, Opountus; some suggest from the Papago Indian name opun.

An Opuntia Trunk (left) and Bark Forming That Looks Like a Circuit Board (right)
OpuntiaOpuntia

Opuntia Fruit – called tuna
OpuntiaOpuntia

The Opuntia Specimen (left) and Spot the Imposter (right)
Opuntia  Opuntia

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