The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-23
Crucifxien Thorn.

Z
Arizona has strange desert plant
that possesses that which is Of keen
interest for every man, woman and
child who has ever heard the story of
the cruci6xion.
The plant lives, breathes, gains its
sustenance from the sun and the air
without the aid Of leaves.
There is halo Of pious and histori-
cal interest about the plant, because
It's branches are the same as those
with which the Jesus of Nazareth was
crowned on the heights of Cavalry.
1t is known as the "cruci6xion
thorn" or, in Latin, the "crucifera
spinosa." /" It grows but in two spots
on the earth-on the mesas Of Salt
River Valley and in certain parts of
Palestine. The botanists know but
very little about it, aside from the
fact that it is supposed to be member
Of the quassia family by some, while
others declare thatit will yet be class
ed with the acacia group.
Prof. Bessey, who occupies the
chair of botany at the Nebraska Uni
versity, is making an exhaustive study
of the rare plant, and several choice
plants have just been shipped to him
from Phoenix. These were obtained
from large bushes which grow at long
intervals on the mesa to height of
from II to 19 feet. The Mexicans
know it as the "Palo Christo," and
the Catholic Churches in Southern
Arizona are always decorated with the
thorny branches at Eastertime.
Prof. Bessey has made cross-sec-
tions out Of previous specimens sent
to him fror1 Phoenix, and his own
language is that "these sections dis
close very rare and wonderful plant
of which the botanical world knows
but very little.
The bushes, as seen on the desert
not far from Phoenix, have most for
bidding appearance. Only their re-
markable oddity attracts ones atten-
tion. All Of the plants Of the desert
have something to attract one to them,
and offer certain picturesqueness and
beauty, either of form or color, to the
eye-all of them except this bush of
wicked-looking thorns. The bushes
are all thorns, and nothing but thorns,
and their wound is cruel and lasting,
for there is said to be poison lurking
in the tip of them. The poison is not
deadly, nor even dangerous, but trou
blesome and painful, and most pros
pectors would rather run into charge
of buckshot than into crucifxion
thorn bush.
During 10 months Of the year the
limbs of the bush are absolutely bare,
except for its thorns. These are from
one to three inches i'll length, sharp as
needles and fully as hard and strong,
only they are thicker at the base and
taper very gradually to the point of
disappearance Early in the spring
the "palo christie puts forth tiny
green blossom, which soon ripens into
clusters of small, yellowish berries.
These are the seed of the "cruciGx-
ion' plants.
The most remarkable thing about
these bushes is that they are supposed
to take in their sustenance through
the ininitesimally fine, steel-likc ends
Of the thorns. And, though the
thorns are very plentiful, yet tthe feed
ing and breathing points must be so
very small that one can easily realize
why the plant has such barren and
unhealthy appearance. At its best,
when water, sunshine and good soil
arc at the maximum and all the other
trees and flowers in the valley arc Il
cure for weary eyes to look upon, the
crucihxion thorn seems to be poor,
half-starvcd thing.-.San Francisco
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1t is not often that 4 physician