ESPOSTOA. 



61 



1. Espostoa lanata (HBK.). 



Cactus lanatus Humboldt, Bonpland, and Kunth, Nov. Gen. et. Sp. 6: 68. 1823. 



Cereus lanatus De Candolle, Prodr. 3: 464. 1828. 



Pilocereus dautwitzn Haage, Card. Chron. 1873: 7. 1873. 



Pilocereus haagei Riimpler in Forster, Handb. Cact. ed. 2. 665. 1885. 



Pilocereus lanatus Weber, Diet. Hort. Bois 965. 1898. 



Cereus dautwitzii Orcutt, West Amer. Sci. 13: 63. 1902. 



Cleistocactus lanatus Weber in Gosselin, Bull. Mens. Soc. Nice 44: 37. 1904. 



Pilocereus lanatus haagei Jostmann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 21: 25. 1911. 



Oreocereus lanatus Britton and Rose, Stand. Cycl. Hort. Bailey 4: 2404. 1916. 



Plant simple, 2 to 4 meters high, sometimes with several strict branches or with a simple erect 

 stem, 4 to 10 cm. in diameter, with many spreading branches at first nearly horizontal or curved 

 upward and becoming erect near the tip, the tip hidden under a mass of hairs and brown bristles; 

 ribs numerous, 20 to 25, low, 5 to 8 mm. high, rounded; areoles rather large, 5 to 6 mm. apart; radial 

 spines numerous, acicular, 4 to 7 mm. long, brownish, intermixed with long white hairs; central 

 spine solitary, yellow or brown to black, subulate, 2 to 5 cm. long; flowers borne on one side of the 

 stem from a prominent pseudocephalium, 3.5 to 5 cm. long; scales on the tube many, triangular- 

 lanceolate, acute, about 6 cm. long; fruit 3 to 4 cm. long, juicy, edible, white except the small 

 pinkish scales; seeds i mm. broad. 



Type locality: Near Rio Aranza and Guancabamba, Ecuador. 



Distribution: On the dry hills of northern Peru and Ecuador, altitude 1,200102,250 

 meters. 



FIGS. 87 and 88. Espostoa lanata. 



In 1918, while in Ecuador, Dr. Rose attempted 

 to reach the exact locality of Humboldt's Cactus 

 lanatus, but was unsuccessful. In the Catamayo 

 Valley somewhat north of Humboldt's station and 

 in what is doubtless a part of the same desert 

 he collected this species and upon this our descrip- 

 tion above is largely based. These plants are so 

 different in habit from other plants collected by 

 Dr. Rose in central Peru that we have been very 

 much in doubt whether they should all be referred 

 here or a part separated as a new species. That 

 there is more than one species in this genus has been further suggested since receiving a 

 photograph from G. M. Dyott, taken at Chagual, on the west bank of the Maranon River, 

 in northern Peru. In this photograph are shown several very striking cactus plants, per- 

 haps of this genus, but very unlike any we have heretofore seen. 



FIG. 89. Flower of Espostoa lanata. 

 FIG. 90. Fruit of same. Xo.?. 



