306 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



low shrub, 6-18 inches high ; joints 1-24- inches long ; tubercles 

 4- 5 lines long ; spines not over an inch in length. Flower appar- 

 ently yellow, about l^- inches in diameter and somewhat persistent on 

 the fruit. Fruit very shallow, saucer-shaped, with few large seeds. 

 Var. /3. is 4 or 5 feet high ; joints 8-10 inches long ; interior spines 

 1 - If- inches long. Fruit globose or even ovate, with 25 pulvilli. 

 Seeds the same in both. 



37. O. SEKPENTiNA, E. in Sill. Journ. 1852 : erectiuscula seu sub- 

 prostrata ; articulis elongatis cylindricis ; tuberculis ovatis ; aculeis 

 7-9 albido- seu rufido-vaginatis ; flore flavo extus rubello ; bacca 

 subhemisphserica late et profunda umbilicata villosa aculeatissima. 



Near the sea-coast about San Diego, California. — Sometimes 4-5 

 feet high, but often prostrate ; joints 6-12 inches long ; spines less 

 than one inch long. Flower cup-shaped, 1|- inch wide. Fruit ap- 

 parently like that of the last species, but " long woolly " and with 

 fewer pulvilli, also often crowned with the persistent flower. Seed 

 unknown ; said to be large. — Closely allied to the foregoing species. 

 Can this be Nuttall's Cactus Californicus (Cereus, Torr. Sf Gr. FL), 

 with cylindric branches, yellow flower, and spiny fruit ? 



ft DeciducB : arborescentes : articuli tumidi, perfragiles : tubercula 

 depressa : flores purpurei : baccse srepissime steriles, proliferse. 



38. O. PROLIFERA, E. 1. c. : ramis divaricatis; articulis ovatis seu 

 ovato-cylindricis perviridibus versus ramorum apicem congestis ; tu- 

 berculis obovato-oblongis prominulis ; aculeis 8 -10 obscuris strami- 

 neo- seu rufo-vaginatis, singulo centrali, cseteris patulis ; flore rubro ; 

 bacca ovata aculeolata plerumque sterili prolifera. 



On arid hills about San Diego, CaUfornia, forming extensive thick- 

 ets. — Stems 2-4, and sometimes even 6-7, inches in diameter, 3- 

 10 feet high ; joints 3-6 inches long and Ig- - 2 in diameter ; tuber- 

 cles about 6 lines long ; spines 6-14 lines long, the lower ones 

 shorter. Flowers red, salver-form, 1| inches in diameter. 



39. O. FULGiDA, E. in B. C. R. : ramis divaricatis ; articulis ovatis 

 seu ovato-cylindricis glaucescentibus versus I'amorum apicem conges- 

 tis ; tuberculis ovato-oblongis prominulis ; aculeis 5-9 subEequalibus 

 laxe vaginatis undique stellato-porrectis ; flore purpureo parvo ; bac- 

 ca ovata inermi vix tuberculata ; seminibus parvis rostratis. 



Mountains of Western Sonora : fl. July and August. — Plant 5-12 

 feet high; joints 3-8 inches long ; tubercles rather elongated, 6-7 



