OPUNTIA. 67 



pale green, with low, broad tubercles, these elongated and often 4 cm. long or more; leaves Hncar, 

 10 mm. long or less; spines few, 6 to 10, unequal, the longest ones 2.5 to 5 cm. long,' straw-colored! 

 with loose, papery sheaths; flowers purple, 5 cm. in diameter; fruit ovoid, 2.5 cm. long, somewhat 



Type locality: San Ignacio, Lower 

 Distribution: Lower California. 



:gul 



The type of the species is deposited in the Brandegee Herbarium, now a part of the 

 herbarium of the University of California. Living plants have been distributed by A. 

 Berber from La Mortola. Italv. and are now to be found in various collections. 



modesta! 



Kewensis, first supplement 



Figure 82 is from a photograph of a plant sent 

 from La Mortola, Italy, to the New York Botanical 

 Garden in 19 13. 



\ 



Series 7. FULGIDAE. 



Much branched, bushy plants, usually with the termi- 

 nal joints very fleshy, the tubercles broad and low, about as 

 broad as long. The species, of which we recognize five, 

 inhabit the southwestern United States and western Mexico. 



Key to Species. 



Joints very readily detached, freely falling 30. 0. fidgida 



Joints not very readily detached, persistent. 

 Spines brown or reddish, at least at base. 



Branches slender; fruit not proliferous 31- 0. spinosior 



Branches stout; fruit proliferous 32. 0. prolijera 



Spines white or yellow. 



Spines white; petals greenish j-ellow, i cm. 



long orl ess 2,3,- 0. alcahes 



Spines yellow; petals red, 2 cm. long 34- 0. burrageana 



OpuntiafulgidaEngelmann, Proc. Amer. Acad. 3:306. 

 1856. 



Opnntia mamillata Schott in Engclmann, Proc. Amcr. 



Acad. 3:308. 1856. 

 Opuntia fulgida mamillata Coulter, Contr. U. S. Nat. 



Herb. 3: 449. 1896. 



Plant sometimes 3 meters high or even more, with a 

 rather definite woody trunk 10 to 20 cm. in diameter, 

 much branched, sometimes almost from the base, and 

 forming a compact flattened crown; terminal joints 10 to 

 20 cm. long, 3 to 5 cm. in diameter, very succulent, strongly 

 tuberculate, easily breaking off; spines 2 to 12, yellowish 

 to brown, 2.5 to 3.5 cm. long, acicular, covered with loose, 

 papery sheaths; glochids small, whitish to light yellow; 

 flowers light rose, 2.5 to 3 cm. broad; petals few, obtuse; 



stamens and style very short; fruit at first tuberculate, m age smooth somewhat p 

 5 cm. long,green, usually very proliferous; seeds rather small, 4 mm. broad, often ' 



Type locality: Mountains of western Sonora, Mexico. 



Distribution: Gravelly and sandy situations, southern Arizona, Sonora 



wIkk,. 



^i-j*;-?;. Sii;- 



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'- V 



-^; 







. — On 



vSinaloa. 



We consider O. mamillata as synonymous with 0. / 

 specimens 



J- J 



studied this group, says there is no difference between the flowers and fruits, and that there 

 is no difTerence in distribution (Ariz. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 67 : 501). In the field however, 

 one can see two rather distinct forms which differ in armament, the typical plant being 



more 



This is one of the most characteristic opuntias of southern Arizona, being very al3un- 



dant on the valley slopes and lower foothills. 



almost 



may be associated with other species, especially of Opunt 





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