OPUNTIA. 



73 



long, reddish, caducous; areoles minute, closely set, filled with wool and minute spines; spines 4 to 

 10, white, appressed; flowers 6 to 6.5 cm. long; sepals linear, pointed, reddish; petals light brown, 

 narrowly spatulate, slightly crenate ; ovary bearing minute leaves with wool and short bristles in their 

 axils; filaments white, shorter than the petals; style white, with 7 stigma-lobes; fruit ellipsoid, 1.5 

 cm. long, one-seeded. 



Type locality: In Chile. 



Distribution: Originally described from Chile, but often referred to Mexico. 



Very little is known of this species, although it was described as long ago as 1837, and 

 it is rare in collections. We have never seen it in flower and have seen only one record of 

 its flowering in cultivation. The peculiar structure of the stem, narrow petals and single 

 lanate seed, join a combination of characters separating it from other opuntias, and lead 

 Schumann to refer it to a distinct series which he calls Etuberculatae. The question has 

 been raised in our own minds if this is a true Opuntia. In cultivation the plant is usually 

 grafted on some Platyopuntia. 



Variety cristata is offered in the trade journals. 



Opuntia microthele, Cereus clavarioides, and Cereus scriccus are usually given as 

 synonyms, but all these were cited by Pfeiffer (Enum. Cact. 173. 1837) as synonyms 

 of this species at the place commonly given as their first 

 publication. The varieties fasciata Schumann (Mon- 

 atsschr. Kakteenk. 10: 159. 1900), fastigiata Mundt 

 (Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 3: 30. 1893), and monstruosa 

 Monville (Labouret, Monogr. Cact. 489. 1853) are anom- 

 alous greenhouse forms. 



Illustrations: Gartenflora 44: f. 7; Monatsschr. Kak- 

 teenk. 3: 9; 16: 169; Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen f. 

 104; Gard. Chron. III. 30: f. 75, this last as Opuntia 

 clavarioides cristata. 



Figure 87 is copied from the illustration used by 

 Schumann cited above. 



Opuntia clavarioides grafted on 

 another species. 



Series 10. SALMIANAE. 



This series {Frutescentes of Schumann) , by some supposed to 

 be composed of five species but here treated as containing but one, FIG. 87.- 

 is confined to central South America. It is characterized by 

 slender, bushy, often vine-like habit, terete branches, and red 



fruit, the latter crowned by proliferous spiny joints. Seeds are unknown. Greenhouse specimens 

 often resemble Opuntia leptocaulis, but the flowers are somewhat larger, and the spines are not 

 sheathed. 



40. Opuntia salmiana Parmentier in Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 172. 1837. 



Opuntia spegazzinii Weber, Diet. Hort. Bois 898. 1898. 

 Opuntia albiflora Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen Nachtr. 152. 



1903. 



A bushy plant, 3 dm. to 2 meters high, much branched at base; branches often weak, terete, 

 1.5 cm. in diameter or less, often purplish, etuberculate ; areoles small, bearing wool, yellow glochids, 

 and spines; spines sometimes wanting, usually several, 1.5 cm. long or less, white; flowers 2 to 3.5 

 cm. broad, scattered along the stem; buds pinkish or even scarlet; petals obovate, pale yellow to 

 white, sometimes tinged with pink; stamens and style short; stigma-lobes yellowish green; fruits 

 sterile, clavate, scarlet, with few or no spines. 



Type locality: In Brazil. 



Distribution: Southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. 



After careful consideration, we have combined three species of Schumann's series 

 Frutescentes into one. We have examined considerable living material and all the illus- 

 trations, but have found no grounds for separating the group into species. All were 

 described as proliferous and sterile. 0. spegazzinii was supposed to be unarmed, but this 



