DESCRIPTION OF THE FRUIT OF NOPALEA COCHENILLIFERA (L.) SALM-DYCK SOLD IN THE TRADITIONAL MARKET OF RIOVERDE, SAN LUIS POTOSI, MEXICO

There are nine species of Nopalea and the most widely distributed is N. cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck. This species and its wild congeners inhabit dry and subhumid tropical and subtropical regions in western and eastern Mexico down to Panama. In Mexico, its tender, young cladodes (known locally as nopalitos) and flower buds (tunitas) are eaten as vegetables, its developed cladodes are used as forage in different parts of the world, and the plants are used as living fences and also as ornamentals. The fruits of N. cochenillifera have received little attention in the specialized literature; therefore, the purpose of this note is to describe a set of fruits that was bought in a traditional market in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The fruits of N. cochenillifera were, on average, two centimeters shorter than those reported in the literature; by weight, the pulp accounted for 45.70 % on average, the peel 48.07 % and the seeds 6.23 %. Mean sweetness was 10.62 degrees Brix, somewhat lower than that of Opuntia cultivars, which is 12.95. Due to the lack of abortive seeds, we infer that the fruit of Nopalea have been of little interest to humans.