(1) This is a highly magnified photograph of a glochid taken with a scanning electron microscope.(2) I like it that these folks know what a glochid is and, more importantly, how to remove one.(3) The spines and glochids are then removed either by peeling the skin, or by burning them off.(4) The spines grow from an areole covered with glochids , which are tiny, barbed spines characteristic of all Opuntia.(5) Called nopales or nopalitos, the spines and glochids are singed off over a flame or scraped off before cooking.(6) Because of the glochids , great care is required when harvesting or preparing prickly pear cactus.(7) After you have removed the glochids you can eat the fruit fresh, or prepare it in several ways.(8) Even though a prickly pear may be visibly spineless, the glochids on paddles and fruits remain just as nasty.
