178 THE CACTACEAE. 



Variety mebbesii Hildmann (Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen 413. 1898) is said to have 

 more spreading, stouter, and lighter-colored spines and is more inclined to sucker than the 

 typical forms. Other names associated with this species are the following: E. odieri 

 spin-is nigris Labouret (Monogr. Cact. 248. 1853) and E. odieri magnificus Hildmann 

 (Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 5: 184. 1895). It is said to have a very large flower as compared 

 with the size of the plant. 



Echinocactus pachycornis Muhlenpfordt, Allg. Gartenz. 14:371. 1846. 



Depressed; ribs 7, thick, obtuse; areoles 18 mm. apart; radial spines 5; central spine 1; spines 

 all reddish except the uppermost one and this horn-colored ; flowers and fruit unknown. 



Type locality: Mexico. 



This seems to be only a juvenile plant of which all record is lost. 



Echinocactus pulverulentus Muhlenpfordt, Allg. Gartenz. 16: 9. 1848. 



Green, ovate or oblong-ovate; ribs 13, obtuse; areoles 4 mm. apart, grayish woolly; radial spines 

 6 or 7, stiff, 4 to 5 mm. long; central spine 1, \}i cm. long. 



Type locality: Bolivia. 



Both Muhlenpfordt and Schumann considered this species related to Echinocactus 

 ceratistes, but it surely must be very different, judging from the brief description. 



Echinocactus spina-christi Zuccarini in Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 59. 1837. 



Globose, 15 cm. in diameter, dull green; ribs 13 or 14, acute, crenate; areoles large, oval, 15 or 

 20 mm. apart, when young white, velvety; spines stout, rigid, curved, black when young, paler at 

 base, becoming yellow; radial spines 6 to 8, the lower spines stouter than the upper, 3.5 cm. long; 

 central spine solitary, erect; flowers and fruit unknown. 



Type locality: Southern Brazil. 



To this species Pfeiffer referred E. fischeri as a synonym. Schumann lists it among the 

 species unknown to him and afterwards (Gesamtb. Kakteen 468. 1898) under Melocactus 

 jerox Pfeiffer, following Forster (Handb. Cact; 519. 1846). 



Here also both Forster and Schumann refer Echinocactus armaius Salm-Dyck (Hort. 

 Dyck. 341. 1834), a reference we very much question. Labouret (Monogr. Cact. 16. 1853) 

 who takes the same view of this species says it is native of Mexico coming from Santa Rosa 

 de Toliman. 



Melocactus spina-christi Cels (Forster, Handb. Cact. 279. 1846) was never described 

 but doubtless belongs here. 



Echinocactus spiniflorus Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen Nachtr. 88. 1903. 



Usually simple, globose to cylindric, up to 6 dm. high, 1.5 dm. in diameter; ribs 20 or more, 1 

 to 1.5 cm. high; areoles circular, 4 to 5 mm. in diameter or near the crown of the plant 8 mm. in 

 diameter, at first white-tomentose but in age naked; spines 14 to 20, spreading, straight, stiff, 

 subulate, reddish yellow, unequal, the longest 2.5 cm. long; flowers 4 cm. long, 3.5 to 4 cm. broad, 

 campanulate, rose-red; outer perianth- segments 8 mm. long, thin, spine-tipped; inner perianth- 

 segments somewhat diverse, the outermost ones spinescent, the innermost ones not armed; stamens 

 about two-thirds the length of the perianth; style about one-half the length of the longest stamens, 

 surrounded at base with yellow wool; stigma-lobes 19; ovary turban-shaped, covered with awl- 

 shaped prickly-tipped amber scales, these woolly in their axils. 



Type locality: On Cerro Morro or Cerro Bianco. 



Distribution : Argentina. 



We know this species only from description and we are in doubt as to the relationship. 

 It must, however, be excluded from Echinocactus and Malacocarpus and probably does not 

 belong to the sub-tribe Echinocactaneae. According to Dr. Vaupel, the type can not be 

 found in the herbarium of the Botanical Garden at Berlin, and the collector is unknown. 



