

I02 



THE CACTACEAE. 



Collected by Dr. and Mrs. J. N. Rose in central and southern Peru, in 1914, first from 

 just below Matucana (No. 18653), and later at Pasco (No. 18812, type). 



Plate XVII, figure i, represents a joint of the type specimen above cited. 



Series 2. CURASSAVICAE. 



This scries is composed of 10, or perhaps 11, species of low plants, characterized by their fragile 

 branches, the small joints separating and becoming detached very readily, more or less flattened or 

 subterete. They mostly inhabit the southern United States and the West Indies; one is known 

 from Ecuador; the original home of one of the species recognized is unknown. 



Key to Species. 



Spines aciculan 



Joints oval, mostly not more than twice as long as wide; plants prostrate, little branched 80. 0. curassavica 



Joints oblong to linear^ 2 to 8 times as long as wide; plants ascending or erect, much branched. 



Joints narrowly linear, i to 2 cm. wide 81. 0. taylori 



Joints oblong to linear-oblong or obovate-oblong, 2 to 4 cm. wide. 



Joints oblong to linear, 4 to 8 times as long as wide; spines i to 3 cm. long. 



Joints not tuberclcd 82. O. repens 



Joints tubercled, at least when young 82a. O, pestifer 



Joints oblong to obovate-oblong, 2 to 3 times as long as wide; spines 3 to 5 cm. long 83. O. borinquensis 



Spines subulate. 

 Spines white. 



Roots fibrous; spines at most of the areoles 84. 0. militaris 



Roots tuberous; spines only at the upper areoles 85. O. nemoralis 



Spines brown. 



Joints oval to oblong. 



Joints scarcely repand; plant up to 2 dm 86. 0. drummondii 



Joints strongly repand; plant i dm 87. O. tracyi 



Joints linear-lanceolate 88. O. pusilla 



Affinity uncertain 89. 0. darrahiana 



80. Opuntia curassavica (Linnaeus) Miller, Gard. Diet. ed. 8. No. 7. 1768. 



Cactus curassavictis Linnaeus, Sp. PI. 469. 1753. 



Stems low, 5-jointed, light green, pros- 

 trate and creeping or hanging over rocks ; joints 

 oval to oblong, decidedly flattened but thick, 

 2 to 5 cm. long, glabrous; leaves minute, soon 

 withering; areoles small, bearing short wool 

 and longer, white cobwebby hairs ; spines 4 to 

 many, acicular, 2.5 cm. long or less, yellowish, 

 becoming white in age; glochids tardily de- 

 veloping. 



Type locality: Curasao Island. Fig. 125.— opuntia curassavica. Xo.75. 



««. 



Curasao, Bonaire, andArub 



Haworth (Syn. PL Succ. 196. 1812) describes three varieties, major, media, and minor, 

 and later (Rev. PI. Succ 7 1 • 1 82 1 ) also describes the variety longa. O. curassavica elongaia 



alm-Dyck. Hort 



name only, is supposed to be the same 



as var. longa. 



This is one of the oldest species of Opuntia, having been described and figu 

 as 1696. For a long time it has been unknown, the name having been tran- 

 similar species. 0. repens. In 1913 Dr. Britton visited Curacao, its native home 



lected it. 



informed him 



tl^^ : r .f "^ ' .Vl^r"; 2!:. ^".«™ ?'" -t fi^-i " - flo-r on Curasao, nor has it 



who 



a shy bloomer, saying he had seen it in flower but once. 



K 



pincushions 



(TTnT r -P ' ■ f "'""""' ™'-''"<'«^'' '«'■»'•'«''; Plukenet, Opera Bot. 3: p . 281, 



I. 3, as Opuntia minor catikscms. 3 I"- • 



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