Tab. 7840. 



ECHINOO ACTUS miobospebmus. 

 Native of Argentina. 



Nat. Ord. Cacte*:. — Tribe EcniNOCACTKa. 



Genus EcuiNOCAcrus, Link 4" Otto; {Benth. & Hoolt.f. Gen. Plant, vol. i. 



p, 848.) 



EcniNocACTUs microspermus ; caule hemispherico v. subgloboao 2-4 poll. diam. 

 ecostato viridi mamillafco, mamillia spiraliter dispositis liberis depresso- 

 hemisphericis obscure hexagonis ad I poll. diam. Isevibus glabris, areolis 

 glabris, spinia externis radiantibna 10-14 inaequilongis ]-^ poll, longis 

 gracilibus albis, centrali ^-| poll, longa gracillima siginoidoo decurva 

 apicera versus plus minusve hamata fusco-rubra, floribus numerosis 

 fere 2 poll, diam., calycis tubo pollicari piloao et aculeato, sepalis petalis- 

 que multiseriatis lineari-lanceolatis acnminatis aureis aiiraatiacisve, 

 ovario squamoso et lanuginoso, stigmatis flavi lobis ad 15 linearibus, 

 semiriibus numerossimis minntis. 



E. microspermus, Weher in Bois, Diet. D'Hort. p. 469. Schum. Monatsschr. 

 fur Kakt. vol. vii. (] 897), p. 104, cum ic. ; Gesamtbeschr. XakUp. 397, f. 68 ; 

 Bliihend. KaTct. t. 1. 



A very distinct and attractive species of the immense 

 genus Fjcliinocactns, well figured by Schumann, both in 

 his Monatsschr. by a woodcut, and in his Bluehemler. Kakt. 

 by a beautiful coloured plate. It is a native of Catamarca, 

 a district in the province of Tucuman, in Northern Argen- 

 tina, to the south of the great mountain of Aconcagua, 

 whence it was sent by Mr. Schickendantz. The seeds, 

 which I have not seen, are described as being so small 

 as to resemble a powder. 



The plant figured was procured by purchase. It 

 flowered in a frame of the Royal Gardens, Kew, in 

 September, 1901. 



Desc7\ — Stem hemispheric or sub-globose, two to four 

 inches in diameter, dark green, ecostate, mamillate. 

 Mamillx spirally disposed, very regular, about one-third 

 of an inch in diameter, depressed hemispheric, very 

 obscurely hexagonal, smooth, quite glabrous. Outer spines 

 ten to fourteen, radiating, slender, very unequal in length, 

 a fifth to a third of an inch long, straight or flexuous, 

 white ; central one half to two-thirds of an inch long, 

 very slender, decurved, hooked towards the tip, red-brown, 



JpsK 1st, 1902. 



