Abelmoschus esculentus (L - the University of Maine at Fort Kent

Kermath, Bennett and Pulsipher - Food Plants in the Americs
ENGLISH: cochineal, cochineal cactus, cochineal plant, nopal
cactus, prickly-pear cactus, roast pork, smooth pear
PORTUGUESE: palma, palma-doce, palmatória-doce
SPANISH: higo chumbo, nopal, pak’am, palera, tuna blanca
USES/NOTES: Red fruits are edible. Plant also is eaten by the
cochineal, a tiny insect, from which a deep red dye is derived,
used primarily for coloring fabrics, such as British redcoats,
but also to color foods. Stems are medicinal.
NATURAL RANGE: Perhaps Mexico, now widespread
REFERENCES: Adams 1972, Bourke et al. 1987, Britton and Rose 1963,
IBGE 1980, Lee 1947-48, Martin et al. 1987, Niembro Rocas 1992,
Nobel 1994, OAS 1973, Usher 1974, West 1989b
Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck
FAMILY: Cactaceae (cactus)
ENGLISH: nopal, prickly pear cactus
SPANISH: cacanapo, tuna
USES/NOTES: Succulent fruits, stems, flowers, pads, and seeds are
edible, fruits often as jelly, stems fried, and seeds dried and
parched.
NATURAL RANGE: Mexico and adjacent southern U.S.
REFERENCES: Britton and Rose 1963, Harrington 1967, Tull 1978
Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis (Griffiths) B.D. Parfitt &
Pinkava [includes O. lindheimeri var. linguiformis (Griffiths)
L.D. Benson, O. linguiformis Griffiths]
FAMILY: Cactaceae (cactus)
ENGLISH: cactus apple, cow’s tongue, tongue pricklypear
SPANISH: língua de vaca
USES/NOTES: Fruit pulp has been made into jelly. The plant is
considered extinct in the wild by the IUCN.
NATURAL RANGE: South-central Texas probably into northern Mexico
REFERENCES: Britton and Rose 1963, Correll and Johnston 1970,
Facciola 1990, ITIS n.d., Tate 1976
Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller [syn. O. megacantha Salm-Dyck]
FAMILY: Cactaceae (cactus)
ENGLISH: barbary, cactus fruit, Indian fig, mission tuna, nopal,
prickley pear, spineless cactus, tuna
PORTUGUESE: palma-santa, palmatória
SPANISH: cacto, chumbera, chumbo, higo chumbo, higuera chumba,
higuera de tuna, higuera de las Indias, higuera de pala, jarrito,
nopal, nopal de castilla, nopal manso de castilla, nopal tapón,
optunia, palera, pescuezón, tasajillo, tuna, tuna de castilla,
tuna fina, tuna mansa, tunal
USES/NOTES: Sweet, typically purple fruits are eaten raw, stewed,
or preserved. Young cladodes or pads (nopales or nopalitos in
Spanish) are chopped and cooked as a vegetable. A slimy mash from
the pads is used in cooking, in medicines, and to clean hair. The
plant is also grown as a host for the cochineal insect
DRAFT - DO NOT DUPLICATE OR DISTRIBUTE
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