OPUNTIA. 



171 



and numbers, at 3 years often 10 in number and some 6 cm. long, divergent, flattened, angular, 

 twisted; flowers dull dark-red in bud, with stigma protruding the day before the petals 

 spread, small, about 3 cm. in diameter when opened, petals 20 to 25 mm. long, slightly, when at all, 

 recurved, ribs of petals red and wings orange, filaments greenish below and pink above, style bright- 

 glossy red, stigma dull greenish red, 4-parted, equaling the petals in length; ovary small, subglobose, 

 deeply pitted, 15 to 17 mm. in diameter, with small subcircular to slightly transversely elongated, 

 dirty brown areoles, 4 mm. apart; fruit small, subglobose, red." 



Type locality: State of Oaxaca, Mexico. 



Distribution: Known only from type locality. 



Our examination of the type specimen of this species showed that it is closely related 

 to Opuntia macdougaliana, differing in the color of its petals, which may not be a specific 

 character. 



FIG. 210. Opuntia macdougaliana 



1908. 



187. Opuntia macdougaliana Rose, Smiths. Misc. Coll. 50: 516. 

 Opuntia micrarlhra Griffiths, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 130. 1913. 



Plant about 4 meters high, with a distinct cylindric trunk branching from near the base; joints 

 oblong, 30 cm. long by 8 to 10 cm. broad, softly pubescent; areoles distinct, small; spines generally 4, 

 one much longer (2.5 to 4 cm. long), somewhat flattened, yellowish, becoming whitish in age; 

 glochids short, numerous, yellow; fruit globular to oblong, 5 cm. long, the surface divided into 

 diamond-shaped plates, red, with a broad deep cup at apex, the numerous small rounded areoles 

 filled with clumps of yellow glochids, very rarely with one or two spines. 



Type locality: Near Tehuacan, Mexico. 

 Distribution: Southern Mexico. 



Figure 209 is from a photograph of the type plant taken by Dr. MacDougal at El Riego, 

 Tehuacan, Mexico, in 1906; figure 210 represents a plant grown from a cutting of the type. 



