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OPUNTIA. 



73 



long, reddish, caducous; areoles minute, closely set, filled with wool and minute spines; spines 4 to 

 ID, white, appressed; flowers 6 to 6.5 cm. long; sepals linear, pointed, reddish; petals light brown, 

 narrowly spatulate, slightly crenate ; ovary bearing minute leaves with wool and short bristles in their 

 axils; filaments white, shorter than the petals; style white, with 7 stigma-lobes; fruit ellipsoid, 1.5 

 cm. long* one-seeded. 



Type locality: In Chile. 



Distribution: Originally described from Chile, but often referred to Mexico. 



Very Httle is known of this species, although it was described as long ago as 1837, and 

 it is rare in collections. We have never seen it in flower and have seen onlv one record of 

 its flowering in cultivation. The pecuhar structure of the 



The pecuhar structure of the stem 

 combination of characters separating: it from 



Schumann 



The question has 



some Platyopuntia 



minds if this is a true Opuntia. In cultivation the plant is usually 



Variety cristata is offered in the trade journals. 



Opuntia microthele, Cereus clavarioides, and Cercus sericeus are usually given as 



synonyms 



(Enum. Cact. 173. 1837) as synonyms 



comm 



publication. The varieties fasciata Schumann (Mon- 

 atsschr. Kakteenk. 10: 159. 1900), fastigiata Mundt 

 (Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 3: 30. 1893), and monstruosa 

 Monville (Labouret, Monogr. Cact. 489. 1853) are anom- 



forms 



Illustrations: 



Monatsschr 



teenk. 3: 9; 16: 169; Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen f. 

 104; Card. Chron. III. 30: f. 75, this last as Opuntia 

 clavarioides cristata. 



Figure 87 is copied from the illustration used by 



Schumann cited above. 



Series 10. SALMIANAE. 



— Opuntia clavariok 

 another species 



This series {Frutcscentes of Schumann), by some supposed to 

 be composed of five species but here treated as containing but one. Fig. 8: 

 is confined to central South America. It is characterized by 

 slender, bushy, often vine-like habit, terete branches, and red ^ t 



fruit, the latter crowned by proliferous spiny joints. Seeds are unknown. Greenhouse specimens 

 often resemble Opuntia Uptocaulis, but the flowers are somewhat larger, and the spmes are not 

 sheathed. 



40. Opuntia salmiana Parmentier in Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 172. 1837. 



Opuntia spegazzinii Weber, Diet. Hort. Bois 898. 1898. 

 Opuntia alhiflora Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen Nachtr. 152. 



1903. 



A bushy plant, 3 dm. to 2 meters high, much branched at base; branches « ^^^ r^^' ^^^^^^J^' 

 1.5 cm. in diameter or less, often purplish, etuberculate ; areoles small, bearmg wool, yeUow glo^hids 

 and spines; spines sometimes wanting, usually several, 1.5 cm. long or less. ^^^^^ ' ^^^^^f 'J„*f^\5 

 cm. broad, scattered along the stem; buds pinkish or even scarlet; petals o^ovate, pale yellow to 

 white, sometimes tinged with pink; stamens and style short; stigma-lobes yellowish green, fruits 

 sterile, clavate, scarlet, with few or no spines. 



Type locality: In Brazil. 

 Distribution: Southern I 



combined 



Frutcscentes into one. We have examined considerable living material and all the illus- 

 trnfi-ntnc T.„f x...r^ (r...r.A r,n crrnnnds for Separating the group mto species. All were 



described a^ proliferous and sterile. 0. spegazzini 



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