* 



I 



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4 



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OPUNTIA. 



i8i 



Type locality: In America. 

 Distribution: Known only in cultivatio] 

 Opuntia maxima Miller was described 



name 



Haworth was 



from 



in the Index Kewensis the two are considered the same; Burkill considered them distinct, 

 but his idea of 0, decumana is the 0. ficus-indica type. Mr. Berger, on the other hand, 

 states that it is evidently of the O. dillenii group, but this is hardly warranted by the descrip- 

 tion. Berger is convinced that 0. elongata Is distinct from 0. decumana. 



Opuntia labouretiana macrocarpa (Cat. Darrah Succ. Manchester 55. 1908) is only a 

 garden name. 



Plate XXXIV, figure 2, represents a flowering joint of a plant presented to the New 

 York Botanical Garden by Frank Weinberg in 1901, which bloomed in May 19 16. Fig- 

 ure 220 is from a photograph of the same plant. 



Opuntia bartramii Rafinesque (Atl. Journ. i: 146. 1832) is based on Bartram's de- 

 scription (Travels p. 163. 1790), in 



which 



numerous 



fruit pear-shaped, purple. It 

 associated with Zamia pumila 

 the description, growing 



5 miles from Lake George, northern Florida, 

 We do not know of any Opuntia answering 

 resent time. Dr. Small visited the type 



locality in 191 8 but failed to find any plant answering Rafinesque's description. 



Opuntia hernandezii De Candolle (Mem 



1828) is a com- 



plex. The reference to Hernandez apphes to Nopalea cochenillifera. Schumann was not 



m 



Opuntia ficus-indica. in which we agree 



We 



Mexican 



Series 21. STREPTACANTHAE. 



green species with white or faintly yellow, acicular or subulate spines, 



nd fleshy fruits, natives of Mexico and Central and South America. 



The fruits, known as tunas, are mostly edible and are sold in large 



s. a oractice which probably dates from prehistoric time. The long- 



202. 0. lasiacantha 



continued selection of plants for their fruit has perpetuated many slightly differing races. 



Key to Species. 



Spines short, 5 mm. to 8 cm. long. 

 Joints scarcely if at all tuberculate. 



Joints obovate to elliptic, mostly not more than twice as long as wide. 



Areoles close together, sunken 201. U. spinuhjera 



Areoles not close together, not sunken. 

 Joints dull. 



Spines acicular , 



Spines subulate. , , . , . .t x^t. 1 * 



Areoles with 2 or more short reflexed hairs or bristles at the lower part 



of the areoles. r\ -l ^t- a 



Spines strongly depressed; areoles with several hairs. 203. 0. hypttacantha 



Spines not strongly depressed; areoles with i or 2 hairs. • n / a/ .n 



Joints obovate ^^4. 0. sirepiacantha 



Joints oblong ,- 205. O. amy claea 



Areoles without reflexed hairs or bnstles. ^* o 1 



Spines clear white.jere^e^^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^^^^^^,,^ 



Spines white to dull' yellow, somewhat flattened; fruit 6 cm. long or 



less bearing a few spines near the top, red, not edible. 



Plant with a definite trunk; petals reddish; fruit spiny only at top 207. deamn 

 plant bushy ; petals chocolate-colored ; f ru.t spmy all over .... 207a. g dohb^eana^ 



Joints shining ,• ; ',: ■\'^ 



Joints oblong to oblanceolate. some of them much longer than wide. inaeauilateralis 



Joints shining; wool of young areoles white; petals yeHow- -^ -^-^^ ^09. O. .nae^u lateral, s 



Joints dull; wool of young areoles brown; petals deep orange to scarlet 210. 0. Mug^^.^ 



Joints strongly tuberculate . 212. O. quimilo 



opines elongated, 10 to 14 cm. long 



i 



V 



