NEOBESSEYA. 51 
“The radial spines when young are white with brownish (burnt) tips, later amber-colored 
above and below, grayish in the middle. The plant described is 3’’ high and a little more than an 
inch in diameter; radials 3, centrals 5 or 6 lines long. The plant in my possession did indeed bloom 
last summer but I was hindered unfortunately in describing the flowers in detail. They are smaller 
than those of M. raphidacantha, very similar in form, but the petals are yellow with saffron-yellow 
central stripes on the outer side.” 
Although Jacobi states definitely that the tubercles are not grooved on the upper 
surface, yet the presence of glands would indicate that the plant is not a Mammillaria but, 
more likely, a Coryphantha of the Series Recurvatae and perhaps one of the species already 
described. We have never seen glands in the axils of tubercles, except in genera having 
grooved tubercles. In cultivated specimens growing under abnormal conditions tubercles 
are sometimes produced without a groove and with glands in their axils. 
MAMMILLARIA RAMOSISSIMA Quehl, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 18: 127. 1908. 
Globose to short-cylindric, dull grayish green; radial spines about 12, about 1 cm. long; central 
spines usually 1, sometimes 2 or 3; flowers and fruit unknown. 
Type locality: Not cited. 
Illustration: Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 18: 127. 
MAMMILLARIA RECURVISPINA De Vriese, Tijdschr. Nat. Geschr. 6: 53. 1839. 
Cactus recurvispinus Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 1: 261. 1891. 
Solitary, somewhat depressed, about 16 cm. in diameter, glaucous; tubercles few, large, some- 
what compressed, obtuse; areoles and axils of tubercles described as naked; spines all radial, 8, 
subulate, more or less incurved; flowers and fruit unknown. 
Type locality: Mexico. ; . 
This plant was referred by Labouret to Mammillaria sulcolanata but was discussed by 
Schumann under M. scheeri; judging from the ‘Jlustration, it is not close to either of these 
species but it is much nearer Coryphantha bumamma. 
Illustration: Tijdschr. Nat. Geschr. 6: pl. 1. f.1. 
Figure 48 is a reproduction of the illustration cited above. 
Mammillaria speciosa De Vriese (Tijdschr. Nat. Geschr. 6: 52. 1839. Not Don, 
1830) is listed by Schumann among the species not known to him. It probably belongs to 
some species of Coryphantha. 
riptions and can not be referred to any known 
phantha engelmanntt Lemaire, 
1868; Coryphantha sublanata 
The following names are without desc 
species: Coryphantha conspicua Lemaire, Cactées 34. I 868 ; Cory 
Cactées 34. 1868; Coryphantha hookeri Lemaire, Cactees 34. 
Lemaire, Cactées 35., oS) 
GS 
7, NEOBESSEYA gen. nov. 
. . . i lar or somewhat spiraled, 
Simple or tufted cacti, globose or somewhat depressed ; tubercles irregu ae 
most of them grooved on upper side; flowers borne near top of plant, eres yenow a pink, probaly 
always day-blooming; fruit globose, bright red, indehiscent; seeds black, globose, Pitts, 
prominent white aril. 
Type species: Mammillaria missouriensis Sweet. 
Four species are recognized, all from the Great Plains of the United States. 
The generic name commemorates Dr. Charles Edwin Bessey (1845-1915), professor in 
the University of Nebraska and for many years one of our eminent botanical teachers 
The genus is nearest C oryphantha, but it has very different Iruit a ; 
Kry TO SPECIES. 
Flowers yellow, ites 1. N. wissmannit 
Outer perianth-segments naked......------00 0 _ 
Outer perianth-segments ciliate. ceteris 2. N. similis 
Inner perianth-segments long-acuminate......--...00 3. N. missouriensis 
Inner perianth-segments at most acute......-.scecererset 4. N. notesteinit 
Flowers grayish pink..........-:.-ceeeereeeeneesse 
