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Arizona Wild Bird Photos
Is now http://birdfotos.com - desert-life.org-azwildbird-azwildbirds.com

Blind Prickly-pear
Opuntia rufida

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Normally found in Texas and Northern Mexico.
I have found a very few of them in Arizona.

Why do you think they call them Blind?
Since a cactus has no eyes, how can it be Blind?

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How this cactus came by the name Blind Prickly-pear is because of its patches of "Glochids" and what happens when the wind is strong and blows them around in the air. Cattle have been blinded by these blowing "Glochids".

Thus the name "Blind Prickly-pear" came about by the cattlemen.

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What are "Glochids"?

Barbed bristly spines or hairs, usually very fine and easily detached.

If you take the time to look this word up in the dictionary, you will find it is spelled a bit different. They show the word Glochidiate, they show Gloc-chid-i-ate, but has the same meaning. There surly must be a reason why the cactus people changed the spelling.

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Glochids Not from the above cactus, but Glochids never the less.	Glochids Not from the above cactus, but Glochids never the less.

Note the pad shape. In the Blind Prickly-pear the pads are almost
perfectly round. In the cactus I photographed to show the Glochids the pads are more elongated.

However the Glochids on the Blind Prickly-pear are very loosely attached to the pad and come off in a strong wind or when disturbed.

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Cactus index page. Prickly-pear index page.