118 
BOTAXY. 
spines, 3-6" long, and about 4 darker (yellow, brown or black) stout and an- 
gular, straight or curved, central ones, 1-3' long ; flowers very numerous, 
large, (2 J' broad or more,) inirple, diurnal. — From Salt Lake Desert (H, 
Engelmann) to Silver Peak in tlie Sierras, (Gabb,) and southward to South- 
ern Utah (Johnson) and the Mohave country (Bigelow.) 
Cereus vieidiflorus, Eng. With very short pectinate pale and reddish- 
brown spines and small green flowers. — Common in Colorado, and may be 
found in Utah. 
Opuntia^ (Platopuntia) basilaris, Eng. & Big. Low; joints 5-8' 
long, obovate or triangular, proliferous from their base, pubescent, unarmed, 
but beset with numerous dense fascicles of short brownish bristles, as is also 
the ovary; flowers large, 2 J' in diameter, purple; fruit dry, with large and 
thick seeds. — Nevada, in the Silver Peak region south of Walker's Lake, 
(Gabb,) and soutliward. 
Opuntia SPH.EEOCARPA, Eng. & Big., Var. (?) Utahensis, Eng. Pros- 
trate ; joints small, orbicular-ovate, 2-3' long and nearly as wide, thick; 
spines in the axils of the minute subulate leaves, few and mostly weak or soli- 
tary or none, with few and very short bristles ; flowers 3' in diameter, pale- 
yellow ; fruit oval, almost spineless, at last dry.--In the pass west of Steptoe 
Valley, Utah, (H. Engelmann.) 
Opuntia Missouriensis, DC. Prostrate ; joints medium-sized, obovate 
or almost orbicular, tuberculate ; leaves minute, subulate, all bearing in their 
axils 5-10 radiating or dcflexed spines, 1-2' long, often with a few erect 
darker ones ; flower large, 3' broad, yellow ; ovary and dry fruit spiny.— Quite 
variable, especially in tlie stoutness and color of the spines. From the Upper 
Missouri to the Canadian and New Mexico, and throughout the Salt Lake 
Basin. [Found in Salt Lake Valley and the Wahsatch ; 4,200-6,500 feet 
altitude ; July, in flower. Joints sometimes 6' long and 4' broad, w.] (434.) 
Var. [With smalh^- creeping joints, the numerous fascicles of short stout 
spines strongly reflexcd. Al)ove Wahsatch Station in the Wahsatch Mount- 
ains; 7,000 feet altitude, w.] (435.) 
1 OrrXTIA, Toui?N. Sepals au.l petals nniteil \n-youd the sepal-beariiiff ovar7h5^to77e^y short 
Clip. I5.-.T,v pulpy or dry. S.mhIs laro>., wl.itisi,, bony, Hat, mostly irregular. Embryo curved around the 
albumen ; eotyl.-dnns tolmeeons, iiMmlly eontrnry to the sides of the seod.-Jointod, the joints broad and 
flat, or clavate or cylindrical, bearing bunches of barbed spines and bristles in the axils of smaU terete 
deculuons leaves, and iVon. t iieir middle rather large flowers, opening only in sunsliine and much wider 
tlian long. Ilie al)ovi> species belong to the two sections : — 
^ Pr.ATori-N i i.v, Eng. Joints llatteued ; embryo somewhat spiral. 
$ CYLixuiiorcxTLv, Eug. Joints clayate or cyliudiical ; embryo nearly circular. 
