REBUTIA. 45 



This species was discovered in 1855 by E- Cels, a brother of F. Cels, at one time a 

 cactus dealer, who first described the plant; it was again collected at the type locality 

 by Captain Bertin in 1861, for whom it was named. The first plants obtained did not live, 

 but those of the second collection lived and flowered. Since then no plants have been 

 reported, although the region in which it grows must have been frequently visited by 

 collectors. Dr. Spegazzini, who knows Argentina well, was surprised to learn that such a 

 plant was reported from southern Argentina. The illustration of Cercus bertin ii certainly 

 seems to represent a quite distinct genus. Our attention was first called to this species 

 by the discovery of the illustration, cited below, by Dr. Rose, in an old book stall on the 

 banks of the Seine in Paris in 1 9 1 2 . 



Although described as Cereus, Cels calls attention to its relationship to Echinocereus 

 and states that it should form a separate group. It has been cited as E. bertinii by Schelle 

 (Handb. Kakteenk. 96. 1907). 



Schumann (Gesamtb. Kakteen 163. 1897) established a series in Cereus called Ancis- 

 tracanthi for this species, which he seems to have abandoned as a series name, and the 

 species itself is omitted from his Keys published in 1903. 



Illustration: Hort. Franc. II. 7: pi. 14, as Cereus bertinii. 



Figure 56 is copied from the illustration above cited. 



3. REBUTIA vSchumann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 5: 102. 1895. 



Plants small, globose to short-cylindric, single or cespitose, tuberculate, not ribbed, resembling 

 a small Coryphantha; flower diurnal, arising from old tubercles, at the base or side of the plant, small, 

 red or orange, with a slender, somewhat curved funnelform tube and a spreading or campanulate 

 limb; scales on ovary small, naked or hairy in their axils, withering and persistent on the fruit; fruit 

 small, red, not spiny. 



Type species: Rebutia minuscula Schumann. 



Five species, all South American, are here described. These have been referred here- 

 tofore either to Echinocactus or Echinopsis, or to both. They differ from Echinocactus in 

 their lateral flowers borne at old areoles as well as in the structure of flowers, fruit, and 

 plant-body. They are like Echinopsis in having lateral flowers, but otherwise very unlike 

 any of the species of that genus. The plant-body in shape, size, and tubercles suggests 

 some species of Coryphantha. 



We know so little of the plants that we are not able to describe them very accurately 

 and have depended largely upon descriptions and illustrations. 



The genus was named by vSchumann for P. Rebut, a cactus dealer. 



Key to Species. 



Axils of scales on ovary and fruit naked i. R- minuscula 



Axils of scales on ovary and fruit hairy. 



Flowers from side of plant, near the middle 2. R. fiebrigii 



Flowers from the lower part of the plant. 



Central spines 1 to 4 3- R- pseudominuscula 



Central spines none. 



Areoles elliptic; spines spreading, swollen at base 4. R. pygmaea 



Areoles circular; spines not widely spreading, not swollen at base 5. R. steinmannii 



1. Rebutia minuscula Schumann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 5: 102. 1895. 



Echinopsis minuscula Weber, Diet. Hort. Bois 471. 1896. 



Echinocactus minusculus* Weber in Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen 395. 1898. 



Plants simple or tufted, globular, 2 to 5 cm. in diameter, covered with low tubercles arranged in 

 16 to 20 spirals, bright green; spines in clusters of 25 to 30, 2 to 3 mm. long, whitish ; flowers often 

 numerous, arising from the spine-areoles near the base of the plant, slightly bent just above the ovary, 

 funnelform, 2.5 to 3 cm. long, bright crimson; scales on the small ovary ovate, acuminate, with naked 

 axils; perianth-segments about 12, about 1 cm. long, linear-oblong, acute; stamens 15 to 30, whitish; 

 stigma-lobes 4 or 5, whitish; fruit 3 mm. in diameter, scarlet. 



*Weber (Diet. Hort. Bois 471. 1896) mentions it as a synonym, but does not describe it. It was introduced 

 into cultivation in 1887 and has since been a favorite. 



