MYRTILLOCACTUS. 



^79 



Martius 



This genus has no very close allies. We 



common 



The small flowers s 

 stamens are almost 



more than i flower from 



from 



We know 4 closely related species, natives of Mexico 



The fruits are small berries 



id Guatemala. The name 15 



7, 



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Fig. 252. — Cross-Section of stem of 



Fig. . 253. — Flower 

 of Lophocefeu 



schottii. Natural 



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Lophocereus schottii. X0.5. 



size. 



±-*^ 



Fig. 254. — Section of rib of Myrtillo- 



cactus geomctrizahs with fruit at the 

 areoles. Xo-8.- 



Fig. 255.— Flower of same. . Xo.8. 



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Key to Species. 



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Young branches very blue; central spine elongated, reflexed, dagger-like.. . ..... . . . ... . . /. . . . . .i. M. gcomeiriz 



Young branches green; central spine not dagger-like. , ■ - : ... 



Spines usually 3 to 5, ascending, with no definite centralspine or, when present, very short. .2. M. cochal 



Spines 6 or more, with definite central spine. ., < ; ' _ \ ^ / ' . . ' ., \ . v - 



Radial spines 5; fruit oblong, 10 to 15 mm. long \ * . .3. M. schetukii 



Radial spines more than 5; fruit globular, 6 mm. in diameter ;. . . . . : .4. Jf. eichlamii 



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Myrtillocactus geometrizans (Martius) Corisole/Boll. R. Ort. 



Cereus geometrizans Martius in PfeifTer, Enum. Cact. 90. ^183^. 

 ^>Cereu^ piigiontferus Lemaire, Cact. Aliq. Nov. 30." 1838." V / - 

 ^""^ Cereus gladiator Otto and Dietrich, Allg. Gartenz. *: 34. 1838. 



10. '■ 1897. 



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^ _ ^ Salm-Dyck, Cact. Hort. Dyck. 1849. 48. 1850. '; 



Cereus geometrizans quadrangularispinus Lemaire in Labouret, Monogr. Cact. 367. 1853. 



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largi 



green 



very 



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filling the areoles; radial spines usually 5, rarely 8 or 9, usually short, 2 to 10 mm. long, but some- 

 times 3 cm. long, more or less turned backward, a Httle flattened radially but swollen at base; central 

 spine elongated, dagger-shaped, flattened laterally, i to 7 cm. long and sometimes 6 mm. broad; 

 flowers appearing from the upper part of the areole, 2.5 to 3.5 cm. broad, the limb 3 to 4 times as 

 long as the tube; perianth-segments oblong, 1.5 cm. long; stamens numerous, erect, cxserted; fruit 

 eUipsoid to subglobose, edible, purplish or bluish, i to 2 cm. long. 



Type locality: Mexico 



Distribution 



Luis Potosi to Oaxaca, Mexico 



This cactus is very common on the Mexican 

 «<; nrp fn hp found in all the Mexican markets 



The fruits, known as garram- 



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very much resemble raisins in appearance and are used in much the same 



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