1 86 



THE CACTACEAE. 



22. ERIOSYCE Philippi, Anal. Univ. Chile 41:721. 1872. 



A very large, globular to thiek-cylindric cactus; ribs numerous, very spiny; flowers from the 

 apex of the plant, campanulate, the tube longer than the perianth-segments; outer perianth-seg- 

 ments linear, more or less pungent; inner perianth-segments narrow, acutish; stamens borne near the 

 base of the flower-tube, included ; ovary densely clothed with matted wool ; fruit oblong, becoming 

 dry, dehiscing by a basal pore, very spiny above; seeds rather large, dull, black-pitted with a sub- 

 basal sunken hilum. 



This very interesting plant, well known to the Chileans under the name of sandillon, 

 is not very well understood botanically. It has no near relatives in South America but re- 

 sembles in habit and fruit some of our giant species of Echinocactus in Mexico. It has good 

 technical differences and we have no hesitancy in following the late Dr. Rudolph Philippi 

 in regarding it as constituting a distinct genus. 



Only one species is here recognized, a native of Chile, although Mr. Sohrens states 

 that there are two very definite forms, one of which is more slender, with narrow fruit, the 

 other nearly globular and with globular fruit. The genus was based on Echinocactus san- 

 dillon Remy. 



The generic name is from 'ipiov wool, and gvkov fig, referring to the woolly fruit. 



1. Eriosyce ceratistes (Otto). 



Echinocactus ceratistes Otto in Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 51. 1837. 

 Echinocactus sandillon Remy in Gay, Fl. Chilena 3:14. 1847. 

 Echinocactus auratus Pfeiffer, Abbild. Beschr. Cact. 2: under pi. 14. 1847. 

 Echinopsis aurata Salm-Dyck, Cact. Hort. Dyck. 1849. 39. 1850. 

 Eriosyce sandillon Philippi, Anal. Univ. Chile 41: 721. 1872. 



Simple, 3 to 10 dm. high, usually 2 to 3 dm. in diameter 

 or even more, very woolly at apex ; ribs numerous, 2 1 to 

 35, but fewer in young plants, while in old ones sometimes 

 more; areoles large, usually 3 cm. apart; spines 11 to 20, 

 nearly equal, straight or somewhat curved, 2.5 to 3.5 cm. 

 long, subulate, yellowish when young; flowers 3 to 3.5 cm. 

 long, yellowish red, opening for 3 or 4 hours and then 

 whitening; inner perianth-segments 1.5 cm. long; fruit 4 

 cm. long; seeds 3 mm. long. 



Type locality: Bellavista, Chile. 



Distribution: Provinces of Santiago, Aconcagua, 

 and Coquimbo, Chile. 



Dr. Rose did not see wild plants of this species 

 but he obtained fruit through Mr. Sohrens and also 

 obtained a photograph of a fine plant growing in the 

 Botanical Garden at Santiago. 



The plant is found only in the mountains, grow- 

 ing at an altitude of 2,000 meters or more, and flowers 

 abundantly. Dr. Philippi states that he counted 74 

 flowers and fruits on one plant. 



Although this plant was first described as an Echinocactus, Pfeiffer questions whether 

 it might not be a Melocacius. The original spelling of the specific name, ceratistes, was 

 changed by Salm-Dyck to ceratitis. 



The two varieties Echinocactus ceratistes melanacanthus (Labouret, Monogr. Cact. 246. 

 1853; E. melanacanthus Monville) and Echinocactus ceratistes celsii (Labouret, Monogr. 

 Cact. 246. 1853) may possibly belong here. To the latter variety Labouret doubtfully 

 refers Echinocactus copiapensis Monville, not Pfeiffer. To the latter binomial seems to 

 have been applied the name Ceratistes copiapensis which we have seen mentioned only 

 by Labouret. 



Fig. 197. Eriosyce ceratistes. 



