1 66 



th^ cacTac^ae. 



Usually erect, 2 to 4 meters high, with a more or less definite trunk, but at times much lower and 

 spreading; joints green or bluish green, somewhat glaucous, orbicular to obovate, up to 25 dm. long; 

 leaves subulate, 3 to 4 mm. long, somewhat flattened, pointed; areoles distant, often 6 cm. apart; 

 spines usually i to 6, often only 2, one porrect and 4 cm. long or more, the others somewhat shorter 

 and only slightly spreading, pale yellow to nearly white, sometimes brownish or blackish at base. 

 or some plants spineless; glochids yellow or sometimes brownish, usually prominent; petals yellow 

 to dark rfed; stigma-lobes usually green; fruit purple, pyriform to oblong, 3.5 to 5.5 cm. long. 



Type locality: About New Braunfels, Texas. 



Distribution: Southwestern lyouisiana, southeastern Texas, and Tamaulipas, Mexico. 



.4 



r 



extremely variable species, composed of many 



armament 



forms 



been described which in cultivation we have been able to recognize as possibly distinct; 



very 



seem to mtergrade with other forms, mdicating that they are at most 

 variable species. In the delta of the Rio Grande this is esoeciallv true. 



from this region a number of species has been described. In fact, all the plants 



distributional area. Dr. Rose has examined 



synonymy grow within a relatively small 



one species of this series exists there, and this we beheve is to be referred to 0pm 

 hcimeri. It is very common about Brownsville and Corpus Christi, where it forms 

 covering thousands of acres of land. 1 1 is very variable in habit, being either low an 

 spreading or becoming tall and tree-Hke, sometimes 3 meters high, with a defini 

 dric trunk. Plants from these two extremes, if studied aoart from the field, mi^hl 



1 



-t- 



cylin- 



innumerable intereradinp* forms. The 



forms gradually pass into others with more 



1 



while the larefe tree-like forms 



from 



Decided 



in the flower colors have been pointed out in the original descriptions, and we have observed 



1 m greennouse specimens, but they 

 Opuntia ellisiana Griffiths (Rep. Mo 

 ies, is known onlv from cultivated nla 



I 



unarmed 



Griffiths 



from the Ficus-indicae series, which it much resembles 



may be a spineless race of the common 

 Opuntia pyrocarpa Griffiths (Bull. 1 

 isr ovriform fruit it suffffest?? thi<? ninnt • 



19 1 6) we do not know; in its 



comes from Marble 



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0. 



O. wmtenana Berger and^ 0. haemaiocarpa Berger (Bot. Jahrb. Engler 36:455 and 

 456. 1905) are of this relationship, but have browner spines than is usual in the species. 



Opuntia leptocarpa Mackensen (Bull. Torr. Club 38: 141. 191 1), characterized by its 

 low, bushy habit and elongated, almost abnormal fruits, suggests a natural hybrid between 

 O. hndheimeri and O. macrorhiza. Indeed, Mr. Mackensen described the species as inter- 

 mediate between these two, and all three species are often found growing together. 

 leptocarpa originally came from San Antonio, Texas. 



Illustrations-.^Krm. V.^^. Smiths. Inst. 1911: pi. 3, 4, B; Cact. Mex. Bound, pi. 75. ^ 



• 501. 13, I3^ 13^; N.Mex. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 78: pi. [13 

 1. U. S. Dept. Agr. 31: pi. 3, f. i, this as Opuntia cacanapa, 

 , in part, this as Opuntia tricolor; Rep. Mo. Bot. Gard. 20 

 Opuntia texana. Bull. U. S. Dept. Agr. 31: pi. 2, f. i ; Rep 



Opuntia suharmata. Rep. Mo 



-J t 



I , 

 J 





r , 





' - - 



Opu 



■ j^ 



*^ 



Bot. Gard. 21: pi. 19; pi. 20, in part, these two as Opuntia alta. 

 21 : pi. 21 ; pi. 22, m part, these two as Opuntia gomei. Rep. Mo Bot ( 

 as Opuntia sinclairii. Rep. Mo. Bot. Gard. 22: pi. 9, in part; pi. 10; J 

 4. pi. f., these three as Opuntia cyanclla. Rep. Mo. Bot. Gard 22-' p] 

 17, these three as Opuntia gilvoalha. Bull. U. S. Dept. Agr. 31: f i 



Mo 



.* 



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