A needle cactus is a type of cacti found in Xanth.
Description[]
Needle cacti are covered in hundreds of two-inch long, barbed needles which it can fire at will to defend itself if it feels threatened. Before firing, they often will begin to quiver. Few animals chanced repeat encounters with a needle cactus once suffering its attack.
Use for Protection[]
If a geis is properly applied, needle cacti can make an effective guard against intruders. Examples of this can be found near North Village. If a needle cactus is approached near North Village, and the correct pacification formula is not used, the cactus will attack. The key word near North Village was the word "friend", with the correct formula being "Hold, friend. I am of the North Village."
References[]
- A Spell for Chameleon, Chapter 2