OPUNTIA. 



201 



purplish, very spiny; areoles often remote, i to 3 cm. apart, the lower ones often without spines, 

 bearing white wool when young; leaves only on young joints, spreading, dark red, about 2 mm. long; 

 spines usually reddish brown to black, but sometimes becoming pale, usually 2 to 4, the longest 

 ones 5 cm. long, the larger ones somewhat flattened; glochids very abundant on young joints, 

 brown; flowers dioecious, small, including the ovary only 3 cm. long; petals orange-red, very narrow, 

 10 to 12 mm. long, with long acuminate tips; filaments short; style very thick in the middle, the male 

 flowers with an abortive, pointed style, but female flowers with 8 or 9 yellow stigma-lobes on style; 

 ovary leafy, the upper leaves similar to the sepals; fruit globular, 3 cm. in diameter, acid, naked 

 or spiny; seeds small, smooth, 3 mm. in diameter, with broad, rounded margins. 



Type locality: On battlefield of Buena Vista, south of Saltillo, Mexico. 



Distribution: In States of Coahuila to Oueretaro and Hidalgo, central Mexico. 



Referred by Schumann to 0. glauccscens, but surely a distinct species, as indicated 

 by Berger (Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 14: 171. 1904). 



Although in its habit this Opmilia is much like many others, its flowers are unique, 

 the petals being very narrow and erect; it is a very beautiful plant, and at flowering time 

 is covered with numerous, small, beautiful flowers. Dr. Griffiths states that it is one of 

 the most valuable ornamental opuntias, and that it is hardy in southern California. 



Illustrations: Cact. Mex. Bound, pi. 66; Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 14: 172. f. i. 



Figure 248 is from a photograph of a 

 fruiting joint of a specimen collected by 

 Dr. Edward Palmer near Saltillo, Mexico, 

 in 1905; figure 249 is copied from the 

 illustration first above cited. 



226. Opuntia glaucescens Salm-Dyck, Hort. 



Dyck. 362. 1834. 



Probably erect; joints erect, oblong-obo- 

 vate, 12 to 15 cm. long, 5 cm. broad, some- 

 times narrowed at both ends, pale green, 

 glaucous, usually purplish around the are- 

 oles; leaves small, reddish when young; are- 

 oles filled with gray wool; spines i to 4, 

 elongated, acicular, white, 2.5 cm. long; glo- 

 chids brownish to rose-colored. 



Type locality: In Mexico. 



Distribution: Mexico, but range un- 

 known. 



The flowers were not known when the species was first described and we do not know 

 that they have since been observed. It has long been in cultivation, but specimens grown 

 under glass at New York have not flowered. 



227. Opuntia grandis Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 155. 1837. * 



More or less erect, 6 dm. high or more; joints oblong, 12 to 18 cm. long, erect, when young 

 reddish, glaucous; leaves rose-colored; spines few, white; flowers small, a little open, 2 cm. broad; 

 petals few, narrowly lanceolate, 12 mm. long; filaments reddish; style shorter than the stamens, 

 rose-colored; stigma-lobes 2 or 3, acute. 



Type locality: In Mexico. 



Distribution: Mexico, but range unknown. 



Referred by Schumann to O. glaucescens, but doubtless distinct, as indicated by Berger. 



Illustration: Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 14: 172. f. 2. 



Series 25. PALMADORAE. 



An erect plant with narrow flat joints, small, brick-red flowers, and apparently erect stamens; 

 the epidermis densely papillose-tuberculate when dry. The flowers suggest those of the Spinosis- 

 simae, but otherwise the plant is quite different. The series consists of a single species, from the 

 catinga region of eastern Brazil. 



FIG. 249. Opuntiu stenopctala. 



