umbilicated at the top, the sides formed of five or six deep furrows 

 and as many broad, projecting angles ; the whole surface covered 

 with white, scale-like dots, which when carefully examined are 

 seen to be formed of matted and as it were interwoven hairs ; 

 the keel of the angles is not sharp, but flattened, as if cut off 

 with a knife, and this is occupied by closely placed transversely 

 oblong areolae, filled with a floccose substance, but bearing no 

 spines. In the umbilicus alone, whence the flowers appear, there 

 are a few small brown rigid setae rather than spines. Flowers 

 aggregated at the top of the plant, rather smaU, of a delicate 

 straw-colour. Sepals closely imbricated, oblong, tipped with a 

 black point and a mucro. Petals resembling them, but longer, 

 arranged nearly in one series, linear, acute, but not mucronate, 

 nor sphacelate at the tip. 



