426 
Sandy ridges in southwestern Texas to Arizona and extending 
southward into Chihuahua. 
Specimens examined: TEXAS (Wright of 1851-52; G. R. Vasey of 
1851, E] Paso; Hrans of 1891, Sierra Blanca; Trelease of 1892; Wood- 
ward): NEw MExIco (Hrans of 1891, Lordsburgh): ARIZONA ( Wilcox 
of 1894, Fort Huachuca): Cummuanua (Pringle 235, a spineless form 
distributed as O. rufida),. 
The thin joints and long nearly black spines characterize the species, ‘The Chi- 
huahuan specimen of Pringle is spineless and has smaller pinkish flowers (5 em. 
broad); however, spiny and spineless joints are sometimes found on the same plant. 
Vasey’s material has spines more grayish than usual and bristles more reddish- 
brown, being unusually suggestive of mesacantha. 
23. Opuntia pheacantha Engelm. P1. Fendl. 51 (1849), 
Opuntia phaacantha nigricans Engelin, Syn. Cact. 293 (1856), 
Opuntia pheacantha brunnea Engelm. 1. c. 
Dittuse, ascending, with obovate thick glaucous or sometimes pur- 
plish joints 10 to 17.5 cm, long and 6 to 11 em. broad: pulvini 2.5 to 3.5 
em, apart, with grayish wool and slender yellowish or brownish 
bristles, mostly armed: spines 2 to 5, straight, reddish-brown to. black- 
ish, paler upwards, 2.5 to 6 em. long, the upper one teretish and por- 
rect, the rest shorter. unequal, more or less angular or compressed, 
deflexed: fruit cuneate-pyriform, much contracted at base. with a 
broad and shallow umbilicus, scarcely pulpy, 3 to 3.5 em. long: seeds 
very variable, 4 mm. broad or smaller, (J, Cact. Mex. Bound. t. 75, 
f, 9-15)—Type, the Fendler specimens in Herb. Mo. Bot. Gard. 
Sandy ridges from the Kl Paso region of Texas to the Rio Grande, 
near Santa Fe, New Mexico, and eastern Arizona, and southward into 
Chihuahua. 
Specimens examined: New MEx1co (Fendler of 1846-47, along Rio 
Grande near Santa Fe): Arizona (Parry of 1867): TEXAS (Wright of 
1851-52, in valley near El Paso; Hvans of 1891, in same locality): CuHt- 
HUAHUA ( Wislizenus 249). 
The flowers described in Pl. Fendl, and subsequent writings as those of this species 
prove not to belong here. In Watson’s Biblographical Index 0. polyantha Haw. 
(Cactus polyanthus Sims) is referred here. In the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1893 
there were growing plants of polyantha from South America, evidently that species 
as figured in the Botanical Magazine,! and not at all our phaacantha. 0. polyantha 
much more resembles O, tuna. 
24. Opuntia phezacantha major Engelm. Syn. Cact. 273 (1856). 
Joints much larger, 12.5 to 15 em. and even 20 em. broad, with more 
remote pulvini, and shorter fewer paler spines.—Type, Fendler of 1846 
m Herb. Mo, Bot. Gard. 
Mountains near Santa Fe, New Mexico. 
Specimens examined: New MExico (Fendler of 1846; Bigelow of 
1853). 
This variety is characterized in Plante Fendleriane, but without name. 
a et 
‘lili, t. 2691. 
