Maugey Cactus is a hardy plant native to the Drylands. The cactus has a thick barrel shaped core, surrounded by layers of fleshy pointed leaves, armed with long sharp spines. Maugey can be found scattered amongst the Razor grass wherever the rocky ground gives some space. Every year they throw up tall spikes covered in small bright flowers, and then produce sweet red fruit with a hard waxy rind.
Maugey Cacti are cultivated in many Drylands settlements, and almost every part of the plant has a use. The pulp can be squeezed and drained to collect a milky sweet sap that is used to flavour food, or to turn into a white alcoholic drink called Pulque. Distilled, the same sap produces Mezcal. After draining, the pulp can be pounded flat and teased out into fibres to weave into cloth, while the thorns can be used as needles. The heart of the plant can be hollowed out to allow the sap to collect in the space, or many hearts can be uprooted and processed to make the drug Menik (although this requires the destruction of numerous full-grown plants). Maugey fruit is also edible, once the rind is peeled off.