APPENDIX. 



217 



82a. Opuntia pestifer nom. nov. (See page 103, ante.) 



Cactus nanus Humboldt, Bonpland. and Kunth, Nov. Gen. et Sp. 6: 68. 1823. 

 Cereus nanus De Candolle, Prodr. 3: 470. 1828. 



Low and nearly prostrate but sometimes 2 dm. high, much branched; the 

 joints very fragile, glabrous; young joints 2 to 5 cm. long, or when old up to 

 8 cm. long, nearly terete, i to 3 cm. in diameter, or when young flattened and 

 2 to 3 cm. broad, very spiny; spines 2 to 5 at each areole, acicular, brownish, 

 i to 3 cm. long; glochids numerous, yellow; flowers and fruit unknown. 



Type locality: Near Sondorello and Guancabamba. In Humboldt 's 

 time these places were in southern Ecuador, but they are now in 

 northern Peru. 



Distribution: Northern Peru to central Ecuador. 



Dr. Rose observed the plant in various places in Ecuador, usually 

 at an altitude ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 meters. The following col- 

 lections were made: at Huigra (No. 22306); at Sibambe (No. 22433); 

 and west of San Pedro, Province of L,oja (No. 23352). 



This plant, although widely distributed and very common, has FlG - 28o -~ P u " tia de - 



. J pauperata. Xo.s- 



never been seen by botanists in flower or fruit. The joints, which 

 come loose easily, are freely distributed by animals. It is so small that, growing half- 

 hidden in the grass, it is easily overlooked but very annoying when one comes upon it 

 unawares. Humboldt speaks of its being troublesome to men and dogs. 



FIG. 281. Opuntia pestifer. Xo.5. 



Kunth who described it as Cactus nanus referred it with hesitancy to the Section Cereus. 

 De Candolle transferred it from Cactus to Cereus placing it in a new subgenus Of>nntiacei 

 along with C. moniliformis (which we know now is an Opuntia) and C. scrpcns. He 

 thought these might represent a genus between Opuntia and Cereus. 



Schumann (Gesamtb. Kakteen 166) considered it an Opuntia but did not formally 

 refer it to that genus. 



This name should not be confused with Opuntia nana (Fl. Damatica 3: 143. 1852) 

 which is Opuntia opuntia. 



Figure 281 is from a photograph taken by George Rose at Sibambe, Ecuador, in 1918; 

 figure 283 shows the joints of the same plant (Rose, No. 22433.) 



