PERESKIA. 23 



18. Pereskia portulacifolia (Linnaeus) Haworth in De Candolle, Prodr. 3: 475. 1828. 



Cactus portulacifoliiis Linnaeus, Sp. PI. 469. 1753. 



A tree, 5 to 6.6 meters high, the branches terete, very spiny; spines acicular, sometimes almost 

 bristle-like, 2 cm. long, on old wood in clusters of 7 to 9, but on new growth usually solitary; leaves 



FIG. 20. Pereskia portulacifolia. Xo.66. 



only i cm. long or less, cuneate at base, often retuse at apex; peduncles short but definite, 2 to 5 mm. 

 long, bearing several small spatulate to broadly obovate leaves; flowers rose-colored, about 3 cm. 

 broad; sepals about 3, ovate to shortly oblong, obtuse, fleshy, 8 mm. or less long; petals oblong, about 

 2 cm. long, thin, obtuse; ovary small, truncate, naked or bearing a single small leaf; immature fruit 

 hard, depressed, 2 cm. long, 2.5 cm. broad, smooth, naked or with a single small leaf 5 to 6 mm. long, 

 with a broad scar at the top 8 to 10 mm. in diameter; fruit globular, naked; seeds large, black. 



Type locality: Tropical America, doubtless Hispaniola. 



Distribution: Haiti. 



The usual reference for the first publication of the plant under Pereskia is Haworth's 

 Synopsis (Syn. PI. Succ. 199. 1812), but it was not here formally transferred from the 

 genus Cactus. His statement is: "Cactus portulacifoUus is another species of this genus." 



Our knowledge of this plant is drawn from the illustration below cited and descriptions, 

 and from a fragmentary specimen collected by W. Buch near Gonaives, Haiti, in 1900, 



