Innards

This is the inside of a prickly pear cactus pad, a delicate lattice of pulpy corklike material meant, no doubt, to act as both skeleton and sponge. The prickly pear cactus is omnipresent in the desert and is a dangerous reminder about just how thorny the desert can be. It also provides protection for many desert critters, including rabbits and packrats; the latter enjoy feasting on the plump, succulent pads. After the beautiful spring blossoms disappear from the cacti, the red prickly pears pop out along the edges of the pads. In the Sonoran Desert, the Tohono O'odham Indians make a tasty jelly from the fruit of the cactus.