202 Plantce Lindheimerian<e. 



smaller, more northern form, with more and thinner spines 

 (radial 5-10, central 12-16 lines long). Flower from 

 20 to 35 lines long, and 24-30 in diameter when fully open ; 

 petals then often somewhat recurved : flowers open two days, 

 only in bright forenoon sunshine. My specimens from the 

 Rio Grande have 5 erect stigmata and a longer flower ; all 

 the others have 6-8 spreading or even recurved stigmata 

 and a shorter flower-tube. Berry about 4 lines in diameter. 

 Withered flower finally deciduous. Fruit often bursting, when 

 the filamentous red pulp and the black, thimble-shaped, verru- 

 cose seeds are seen : this pulp is formed by the clavate, elon- 

 gated, twisted funiculi, which most probably form the pulp of 

 all the soft Cactus fruits, but they do not always remain as 

 distinct as in this species. 



Echinocactus Texensis, Hcepf. (E. Lindheimeri, Engelm. 

 I. c.) Mostly depressed, but sometimes globose. Common 

 from the Colorado to the Rio Grande, and from thence to Sal- 

 tillo (Dr. Gregg). Near New Braunfels it prefers the so- 

 called Muskit-flats, or fertile level places with Muskit trees, 

 overflowed in the rainy season. My specimens have several 

 times fructified. Berry subglobose, pulpy, red, about S or 9 

 lines in diameter, covered with spiny bristles and soft wool, 

 crowned by the woolly remains of the flower: seeds reni- 

 form, compressed, large, smooth and shining. Ribs in smaller 

 specimens 13 - 14, in larger mostly 21, sometimes 24. Areolae 

 about 6 lines long, and 12 lines apart: spines from 6- 10 

 lines long in some, 15-25 lines in others; sometimes the cen- 

 tral spine is 2 or 3 lines broad. Flowers all open within a few 

 days, in May (in St. Louis) ; unlike the last mentioned species. 



CEREUS. 



402. Cereus cespitosus, Engelm. PL Lindh. 1. c. Com- 

 mon about New Braunfels ; in flower in May. — This plant 

 has been -cultivated in Europe, as Prince Salm informs me, 

 under the name of Echinopsis Reichenbachiana, Hortul., and 

 has been confounded with C. pectinatus : compare Wisliz. 



