TAB. 8799. 
WITTIA PANAMENSIS. 
Panama. 
CacTacEaE. Tribe EcHrInocacTEAk. 
Wirtia, K, Schum. in Monatsschr, Kakt. 1918, p. 117. 
Wittia panamensis, Britton ¢ Rose in Contrib. U.S. Nat’ Herb. vol. xvi. 
p. 241, t. 73, et p. 261; Vawpel in Monatsschr. Kakt. 1918, p. 107 ; affinis 
W. amazonicae, K. Schum., sed caulibus angustioribus, floribus basi 
attenuatis et calycis squamulis differt. 
Herba. succulenta. Caules parce ramosi, elongati, compressi, foliaceo-dilatati, 
ad margines remote crenati, nervo medio valido, 3-4°5 em. lati. Flores 
axillares, a basi crenularum orti, 2°5-3 cm. longi, saturate purpurei. 
Calycis tubus ultra ovarium longe productus, subgracilis, basi sqamulis 
paucis minutis scariosis obtectus ; 1°5 cm. longus ; lobi 10, biseriati, erecti, 
petaloidei, oblongi, obtusi, exteriores subcarinati, interiores sublongiores et 
tenuiores. Petala 10, erecta, oblonga,| apiculata, alba, sepalis paullo 
breviora. Stamina numerosa, inclusa, 3-4 cm. longa ; filamenta gracilia ; 
antherae oblongae. Stylus subexsertus, gracilis, 1-5 cm. longus; stigmata 
4 vel 5, suberecta, oblonga. Fructus ovoideus, circiter 1 cm. longus, 
albo-viridis vel carneus.—R. A. Rotre. 
The genus Wittia is singular among the Cactaceae in 
combining with the habit of Phyllocactus and Epiphyllum 
the character of possessing very small flowers. It was 
originally described by Dr. K. Schumann in 1911, and 
was based on a Peruvian species which he named 
W. amazonica; the plant in question was collected by 
Mr. Ule near Lacaitia and also near Tarapoto. The 
description of W. amazonica had just appeared when in 
October, 1911, a second species was met with by 
Mr. H. Pittier on the mountains above Chapo in Panama. 
This plant flowered at Washington some months after- 
wards and in due course was described and figured by 
Messrs. Britton and Rose as Ji’. panamensis. In 1914 | 
a plant of W. panamensis was presented to the Kew 
collection by Mr. D. Fairchild, Department of Agriculture, 
Washington. This plant, which has thriven well in the 
Succulent House at Kew, flowered there in May, 1917, 
Aprit-JuNE, 1919, : . 
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