- Also known as (or relevant to)
- Family
- Cactaceae
- English Names
- Natural Habitat
- Central America
- Southern Europe (mainly Italy)
- North Africa
- South Africa.
- Part(s) Used
- Fructus Coccionella (the dried female insect, see below)
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- Constituent(s)
- fruit: sugar; Coccionella: carmin-acid (red colouring matter)
- Action
- fruit: astringent
- used in diarrhoea and dysentery. The species Opuntia vulgaris produce the famous Prickly Pear
- which is a luxury for the Americans
- This species is cultivated in Central America
- on which plant the cochineal insect (Coccus cacti) is fed
- so valuable for producing the fine scarlet dye. This insect is also fed on Opuntia coccionellifera
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