STROPHOCACTUS. 



221 



Type locality: Mexico. 



Distribution: Central Mexico. 



This species is usually associated with Aforqcactus flagelli- 

 formis, but, owing to its more regular flower, Berger was disposed 

 to refer it elsewhere. It is known to us 

 only from description and illustrations. 



Illustrations: Bliihende Kakteen 2: 

 pi. 65; Curtis's Bot. Mag. 66: pi. 3768; 

 Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 9: 105; Rep. 

 Mo. Bot. Card. 16: pi. 12, f. i, as 

 Cereus martianus. 



Figure 301 is copied from Curtis's 

 Botanical Magazine plate 3768. 



300 



301 



FIG. 300. Flower of Aporocactus conzattii. 

 FIG. 301. Flower of Aporocactus martianus. 



The following description is based 

 on a plant of this relationship, but it 

 differs from figured specimens in the 

 broader perianth-segments, shorter 

 flower-tube, and red filaments. It was 

 obtained from the Theodosia B. Shep- 

 herd Company, Ventura, California, and flowered in Washington, D. C., in 1916. 



Ribs 5 to 7, separated by broad intervals, somewhat undulate; areoles about i cm. apart, 

 circular, bearing white wool and spines; spines about 10, acicular, yellow; flower-bud acute; flowers 

 dark red, 9 cm. long, the tube shorter than the limb; tube -proper about 2 cm. long; throat 1.5 cm. 

 long; scales on the ovary numerous, narrow, their axils with white wool and clusters of spines; axils 

 of upper scales naked; outer perianth -segments narrow, acute; inner perianth-segments broadly 

 lanceolate, 1.5 cm. broad, acute, carmine; stamens erect, not quite as long as the inner perianth- 

 segments; filaments carmine; style carmine, weak, about as long as the filaments; stigma-lobes 

 white; fruit not known. 



The only flower seen opened in the early morning and was still open at half-past one. 

 9. STROPHOCACTUS Britton and Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: 262. 1913. 



As epiphytic cactus, the stems twining and climbing by aerial roots emitted along the midnerve, 

 thin, broad, flat, somewhat branching, the margins bearing numerous closely-set areoles; spines 

 numerous, acicular; flowers large, red, narrowly funnelform, nocturnal; ovary and flower-tube with 

 numerous hairs and bristles in the axils of the scales; perianth cutting off from the ovary as in 

 Cereus; fruit ovoid, with a truncate apex, its areoles bristly; seeds black, ear-shaped, with an open 

 hilum. 



Mr. Berger proposed a subgenus Phylloccreus for this plant, supposing it represented 

 a connecting link between Phyllocactus and Cereus. Its flat stems are like those of Epi- 

 fhyllum; its flower is most like that of Selenicereus. Berger's name, while appropriate, 

 could not be used because of the Phylloccreus Miquel (Bull. Sci. Phys. Nat. Neerl. 112. 1839). 

 The name is from the Greek, referring to the twisting or turning of the stem about trees. 



A monotypic genus of the Amazonian forests, still rare in collections. 



1. Strophocactus wittii (Schumann) Britton and Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: 262. 1913. 

 Cereus wittii Schumann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 10: 154. 1900. 



A thin, very flat plant, often i dm. broad, growing appressed to trunk of trees; joints broad, 

 leaf-like, 3 or 4 times as long as broad, rounded at base and apex, with a stout central vein and nearly 

 entire margin; areoles small, closely set along the margin of the joints, 6 to 8 mm. apart, bearing 

 tufts of wool and bristles besides the spines; spines numerous, acicular, yellowish brown, 12 mm. 

 long or less; flowers elongated, large, 25 cm. long; tube elongated, tapering upward, only about half 



