FEROCACTUS. 



135 



rounded at apex with a more or less erose-margin ; scales on the ovary orbicular, small ; stigma-lobes 

 16 to 20, green; fruit described as pulpy, crimson, scaly; seeds numerous, small. 



Type locality: Palm Valley, Lower California. 



Distribution: Definitely known only from type locality. Recorded from San Diego. 



Palm Valley is not shown on ordinary maps. We wrote to Mr. E. C. Rost who 

 recently returned from northern Lower California to locate the place and he writes as 

 follows: "Palm Valley is about 40 miles southeast of Tia Juana, and is probably not 

 noted on any of the maps as it is not a pueblo, but merely the watershed of the Rio Tia 

 Juana." He subsequently visited Palm Valley and sent us two plants, neither of them 

 quite agreeing with the descriptions of the species. 



Fig. 142. Ferocactus rectispinus. 



We know this plant only from descriptions and illustrations. After our manuscript 

 was in type Mr. C. R. Orcutt wrote us as follows: "You know, I suppose that I consider 

 Echinocactus orcuttii only a luxuriant development of E. viridescens? At Palm Valley, 

 Lower California, I have seen it very large and one cluster contained 25 heads, forming 

 quite a large mass. I found one large cristate." The published illustrations do not 

 indicate close relationship with F. viridescens. 



Illustrations: West Amer. Sci. 2: 47; 7: 69; Schelle, Handb. Kakteenk. 166. f. 96; 

 Blanc, Cacti 49. f. 575, as Echinocactus orcuttii. 



16. Ferocactus robustus (Link and Otto). 



Echinocactus robustus Link and Otto, Allg. Gartenz. i: 364. 1833. 

 Echinofossulocactus robustus Lawrence in Loudon, Gard. Mag. 17: 318. 1841. 



In large clumps, often 3 meters, rarely 5 meters, in diameter, 1 to 1.3 meters high, with hundreds 

 of branches; ribs 8, prominent in young growth, but becoming indistinct in age, somewhat undulate; 

 areoles brown-felted when young; radial spines ascending, about 10, often thread-like; central spines 

 subulate, about 6, brown at first, somewhat flattened, annulate, often 6 cm. long; flowers 3.5 to 4 cm. 

 long; inner perianth-segments oblong, acute, yellowish; scales on the ovary broad, rounded at tip; 

 fruit 2 to 2.5 cm. long; seeds black, oblong, 1.5 mm. long. 



Type locality: Mexico. 

 Distribution: Tehuacan, Puebla, Mexico. 



The large mounds formed by this plant are striking features of the landscape; the 

 individual heads are globose or short-oblong, 1 to 2 dm. in diameter. 



