 According to Terry Gilliam (qv)s commentary on the Criterion  Collection DVD, at the beginning of the movie when they stop on the  side of the road after Duke starts seeing bats and wants Gonzo to  drive, you can see a strange looking cactus in the background. It  was designed by Ralph Steadman (I) (qv) and appears many times in  the background of the movie in various scenes. Gilliam complained of  having to lug it around wherever they went.