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23. CACTACEAE
1. Opantia dillenii (Ker-Gawl.) Haw., Suppl. Succ>79. 1819. (Fig, 101).
Cactus diltienii Kcr-Gawl.— Opuntia horrida Salm-Dyck.—Cactus indicus Roxb.
Engl. Prickly Pear, Sink. Katu-pathok, Kodugaha, Tarn. Kalli, Manjarnagadali,
MullukkaUi, Nagadali, Nagakkalli, Palagaikkalli, PattanadugaUi, Sappattu, Sappattukkalli,
Sapattumul; Hindi Haththathoira, Nagphana, Nagphani; Sans. Bahudugdhika, Bahushala,
Dondavrikshaka, Guda, Gula, Kandarohaka, Kandashaka, Krishnakhara, Kubshadruma,
Mahavriksha, Nagadru, Nagaphana, Netrari, Nistrinshapatrika, Samantadugdha, Shakhakanta,
Shihunda, Sihunda, Sinhatunda, Snuha, Snuka, Snusha, Sudha, Vajra, Vajradruma, Vajrakantaka,
Vajri, Vidara, Visvasaraka.
A large, densely branched bush, about 1.5 m high, stems flattened into cladodes, each
section of the stem 17—22 cm long, 7.5—13 cm broad, obovate, flat, thick, green or greyish-green
with large, yellowish areoles, each provided with 1—5 long spines and giochids; spines 0.5—2.5
cm long, yellow or lighter, bright, sharp, usually somewhat curved; glochidia numerous and
yellowish; flowers regular, bisexual, large, about 7 cm across, solitary from the areoles on the
edges of the flat shoots; perianth rotate, the outer segments ovate, acute, rounded with
membranous margins, the inner segments obovate, rounded, mucronate and the innermost
ones 5 cm long, 2 cm broad, obovate—spathulate; stamens numerous of unequal lengths, scarcely
reaching half the length of the inner- perianth segments; ovary inferior, shoot-like, 5 cm long,
obeontcal with areoles and glochidia, unilocular with the ovules on parietal placentas, style
stout, about 2.2 cm long, exceeding the stamens, stigmas 5—8, erect; fruit a pyriform, reddishpurple
berry, 6 cm long, 3 cm broad, depressed at apex bearing tufts of glochidia, seeds 5.5 cm
across, ridged.
Flowers almost throughout the year, especially during months of drought.
Illustrations. Edward's Bot. Reg. 3. pi. 258. 1817, Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. PI.,
pi. 4695. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Probably indigenous to Mexico and found growing abundantly in Florida,
tropical South America and West Indies. It is naturalized in India, Ceylon, China and Australia.
In Ceylon, it is found in abundance near the coast in the dry regions and rocky waste ground in
the low country.
Ceylon. Eastern Prov., Trincomalee, Alston 531, May 1922.
Uses. The young cladodes of this plant, ground and applied as a poultice, allays
heat and inflammation. The ground clad ode applied to boils hastens suppuration. Its
juice cures ear-ache. The fruit is considered a refrigerant and is said to be useful for gonorrhoea
and whooping cough. A syrup prepared from the juice of the ripe fruit is used to
control spasmodic cough and promote expectoration. It is beneficial for all heart ailments.
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