OPUNTIA. 



117 



well to the plant which we know as Opuntia decumbens, originally described from plants 

 growing in the Botanical Garden in Vienna. 



Opuntia decumbens irrorata Forbes (Hort. Tour. Germ, 158. 1837) is doubtless the 

 same as O. irrorata Martins (Pfeiffer, Knum. Cact. 154. 1837). These and 0. decumbens 

 longispina Salm-Dyck (Haage and Schmidt, Haupt-Verzeichnis 1912: 230. 1912) pre- 

 sumably belong here. 



Opuntia parvispina Salm-Dyck (Cact. Hort. Dyck. 1849. 238. 1850), described from 

 garden specimens of unknown origin, without flowers, has never been definitely placed. 

 Schumann lists it among his unknown species, but attributes it to Mexico. Salm-Dyck 

 states that it resembles O. puberula, but that it is glabrous. 



Illustrations: Curtis's Bot. Mag. 68: pi. 3914; Bluhende Kakteen 3: pi. 132. 



' ■-. 



Fig. 145. — Opuntia decumbens. 



MacDougal 



Mexico, in i qo6 ; fierure 2 represents a fruiting 



William R. Maxon at El Rancho, Guatemala 



Figure 145 is from a 



Tomellin. Mexico, by Dr. MacDougal 



Misc 



1908. 



^. Low. creeping or spreading plant, sometimes 60 cm. high and formmg a patch 3 to 4 «^^ters in 

 diameter; joints of a dark glossy yellowish green color, pubescent, when young, f °^'^i^' ^°/"^; f "J. 

 usually with I long, somewhat curved spine at each areole, sometimes with i to 3^horter «n^^ f 

 yellowish; old joints oblong, 30 cm. long, bearing 4 to 6 spines at each ^^^^ole. flowers red fru^ small, 

 globular, with large clusters of brown glochids, when immature with a broad, deep umbilicus. 



Type locality: Near Tehuac4n, Mexico. 



Distribution: Southern Mexico. 



This plant is very common about Tehuacdn, growing with 



carnea, and Echinocadus. 



Beau- 



horn a photograph taken by Dr. MacDougal 



