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2C8 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 



the spines and spicules, as well as in the color of the flower (of 



minor 



be 



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interiana 



The description was drawn from the living plant in bloom 

 in the field. The specific name refers to the color of the base 

 of the spines. 



The type is no. 9207 D. G., collected near San Antonio, 

 Texas, April 21, 1908. 



Opuutia magenta sp. nov. 



P 



Plants ascending to erect, divaricately and loosely branched, 6 to 10 

 dm. high, often forming thickets on steej) banks and hillsides; joints 

 obovate, 9.5 by 13 cm, to 11.5 by 21 cm., more commonly the former, 

 bright green when young but turning to shghlly glaucous green; leaves 

 about 1 cm. long, circular in section, subulate pointed; areoles 2 to 3 cm. 

 apart, ovate, obovate or subcircular, Increashig in size with age; spicules 

 yellow, 2 to 3 mm. long, in a compact bunch in upper portion of areole, 

 but increasing with age, and becoming unequal and scattered throughout 

 the entire black areolar area; spines reddish brown at base and yellow 

 distally, turning chalky or dirty black, often chalky throughout without 

 any evidence of red at base, 1 to 5 or 6, usually 3 or 4, erect, divergent or 

 lower recurved, the longest 2 to 2.5 cm. long, slightly angular, flattened 

 and faintly annular when young but all traces of tliis are lost with age; 

 flowers a hght magenta; petals obovate, broadly obcordatc and cuspidate 

 at apex; style and filaments pink, and stigma large, yellowish green, 8- to 

 0-parted; ovary obovate to pyriform, about 3 by 5 cm.; fruit reddish 

 purple. 



L 



w 



The species is easily distinguishable in bloom by the color 

 of its flowers and at other times by the prominent peculiar 

 black areoles which differ very much from the 0. Lindheirneri 

 group with which it has been confused. It differs in joints as 

 well as in habitat from 0. angustata as figured by Engelmann. 



.The description is compiled from one made in the field, 

 amended by subsequent notes at another season. The name 

 refers to the color of the flower. 



The type is no. 7876 D. G., collected near Redlands, 

 California, May, 1905. 



m 



4 



A profusely, divaricately branched, ascending or erect, spreading plant, 

 D to 10 dm. high and about the same in diameter; joints long-obovate 



