94 



THE CACTACEAE. 



8. NEOPORTERIA gen. nov. 



Plants globose to cylindric, sometimes much elongated and then sprawling or pendent over cliffs ; 

 more or less hairy at the crown; ribs usually straight, more or less tubercled; flowers from the center 

 of the plant, short-funnelform, usually pinkish or reddish; stigma-lobes cream-colored to reddish; 

 scales on the flower- tube bearing wool and long bristles in their axils; fruit as far as known small, more 

 or less globular, dehiscing by a basal pore ; seeds brown, somewhat wrinkled, tuberculate with a some- 

 what depressed hilum. 



There are several species along the coast and mountains of Chile of which Echino- 

 cactus subgibbosus Haworth is selected as the type. In Schumann's keys one would look 

 for these species in his subgenus Notocactus of Echinocactus but, as a matter of fact, most 

 of them have been assigned to the subgenus Hybocactus. The group as treated here is a 

 natural one and deserves separation as a genus. Doubtless, still other species will be 

 assigned here when better known. From Malacocarpus, to which we have referred most of 

 Schumann's species grouped by him in Notocactus, it differs in its fruit, seeds, and in the 

 shape and color of the flowers. 



The genus is named for Carlos Porter of Chile, a well-known entomologist. Seven 

 species are described. 



Key to Species. 



Spines all weak, often thread-like i. N. nidus 



Spines stouter, the central, at least, subulate. 

 Spines black. 



Spines puberulent; outer perianth-segments reddish 2. JV. occulta 



Spines glabrous; outer perianth-segments greenish 3. JV. nigricans 



Spines not black (or black when young in No. 7). 

 Flowers pink. 



Plants bluish green; style and stigma-lobes reddish 4. JV. jussieui 



Plants bright green; style and stigma-lobes white to greenish. 



Perianth-segments entire 5- N. subgibbosa 



Perianth-segments toothed 6. TV. chilensis 



Flowers not pink 7. JV. fusca. 



1. Neoporteria nidus (Sohrens). 



Echinocactus senilis Philippi, Gartenflora 35: 485. 1886. Not Beaton, 1839. 

 Echinocactus nidus Sohrens in Schumann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 10: 122. 1900. 



Simple, somewhat glaucous, short-cylindric, 8 cm. long, 5 to 6 cm. in diameter, the top covered 

 by the slender ascending connivent spines; ribs 16 to 18, obtuse, strongly tubercled; areoles large, 

 circular; spines weak, numerous, sometimes 30 in a cluster, unequal, white, the longest 3 cm. long, 

 bulbose at base; flowers rather slender, 4 cm. long, perhaps pinkish, but sometimes described as yel- 

 low; inner perianth-segments narrow, acute; scales on the flower- tube woolly and setose; fruit not 

 known. 



Type locality: East of Ovalle, Chile. 



Distribution: Northern Chile. 



Dr. Rose examined the type of E. senilis in the Philippi Herbarium in 1914 and it 

 agrees with the first illustration cited below. He also saw a part of Mr. Sohrens's type 

 of Echinocactus nidus at Santiago, Chile, in 1914. Its flowers were still unknown. 



We have united Echinocactus senilis and E. nidus, using the later specific name since 

 E. senilis, the older name, is a homonym. We have not seen living specimens, but we 

 have two photographs sent us by Harvey Frank in 1905, labeled E. senilis and E. nidus, 

 respectively, which are very much alike and led us to unite the two species. If two species 

 are here involved, our description would apply to E. senilis. 



Illustrations: Gartenflora 35: pi. 1230, f. A, as Echinocactus senilis; Monatsschr. 

 Kakteenk. 10: 123, as E. nidus. 



Figure 103 is copied from the first illustration above cited. 



