204 TH E CACTACEAE. 



It was referred by Lemaire in 1840 as a synonym of Echinocactus centeterius, but as a 

 matter of fact it must have had a prior publication, although both names first appeared the 

 same year, 1837.* 



In spite of the difference in size and shape of the flowers, Lemaire (Hort. Univ. 2: 

 161. 1 841) is positive that it is the same as the plant which he illustrates and yet he desig- 

 nates his illustration as var. major! 



Echinocactus centeterius, to which it is generally referred, is scarcely less confusing. 

 It seems to have been named and distributed by Lehmann, but was first described by 

 Pfeiffer in 1837 and figured by him about 1843. His plant is small with rather small 

 flowers; the perianth- segments are broad and abruptly acute. He states definitely that 

 the plant comes from Minas Geraes, Brazil. As figured by Lemaire, where mentioned above, 

 the flowers are very large with narrow elongated perianth-segments; in 1843 it was figured 

 and described by Hooker. He describes a larger plant than the type and the flowers are 

 somewhat different, the perianth-segments being spatulate and toothed above. 



Forster (Handb. Cact. 296. 1846) redescribes the species, referring here Echinocactus 

 mammillarioides Hooker (Curtis's Bot. Mag. 64: pi. 3558) as a large form under the name 

 of E. centeterius major of Cels. 



In 1853 Labouret redescribes the species and makes Echinocactus pachycentrus a 

 variety and synonymous with Echinocactus mammillarioides and Echinocactus centeterius 

 major Monville and also the variety grandiflorus based on the description of Lemaire 

 (Hort. Univ. 2: 161). He also states that the species comes from Mexico and Minas 

 Geraes. 



In 1882 Regel in the Gartenflora (30: 258. pi. 1094) describes and figures this species 

 and the variety major from plants sent by Dr. Philippi from Chile. 



Riimpler (Forster, Handb. Cact. ed. 2. 568. f. 73, 74. 1885) redescribes the species and 

 also reproduces the illustrations from Gartenflora, but adds nothing new except the state- 

 ment that the species is also found in Peru and Chile. 



Finally, Schumann (Gesamtb. Kakteen 418, 419. 1898) states that it surely comes 

 from the Andes of Argentina, but he would exclude it from Mexico and Brazil. After 

 a careful study of the works mentioned above and a comparison of all the illustrations 

 cited below we are convinced that several species may be involved, but we have not 

 been able to disentangle them. 



Illustrations: Pfeiffer and Otto, Abbild. Beschr. Cact. 1: pi. 2; Forster, Handb. Cact. 

 ed. 2. f. 73, 74; Curtis's Bot. Mag. 69: pi. 3974; Gartenflora 31: f. 1094, a; Schumann, 

 Gesamtb. Kakteen f. 73; Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 27: 60; Loudon, Encycl. PI. ed. 3. 1378. 

 f. 19378; Herb. Gener. Amat. II. 2: pl. 56, as Echinocactus centeterius; Pfeiffer and Otto, 

 Abbild. Beschr. Cact. 1: pl. 21, as Echinocactus hybocentrus; Curtis's Bot. Mag. 64: pl. 

 3558; Loudon, Encycl. Pl. ed. 2 and 3. 1201. f. 17354, as Echinocactus mammillarioides; 

 Hort. Univ. 2: pl. 16; Gartenflora 31: f. 1094, b, as Echinocactus centeterius major. 



27. Malacocarpus leninghausii (Haage jr.). 



Pilocereus leninghausii Haage jr., Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 5: 147. 1895. 

 Echinocactus leninghausii Schumann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 5: 189. 1895. 



Stem slender, cylindric, sometimes 1 meter long, 10 cm. in diameter; ribs about 30, low, obtuse; 

 radial spines about 15, setaceous; central spines 3 or 4, longer than the radials, 4 cm. long, yellow; 

 flowers 5 cm. broad, citron-yellow; scales on the ovary bristly in their axils. 



Type locality: Not cited. 

 Distribution: Southern Brazil. 



This is a very curious plant which has long been cultivated in Europe, but has only 

 recently flowered in cultivation. Dr. Rose found it being widely propagated, but saw 



"Curtis's Botanical Magazine, volume 64, plate 3558, appeared in March 1837 while Pfeiffer's Enumeratio 

 Diagnostica Cactearum appeared probably after August and before November of the same year. 



