CACTACE. 43 
middle, and tapers upwards and downwards; one was found by Dr. Bigelow to be at one foot above 
the ground 13 inches, and 10 feet higher more than 23 inches, in diameter. The fleshy part of 
the plant is, as he notes, bitter, and not acidulous, as in most species of Cacti, The ligneous 
skeleton consists of thick (1-2 inches thick) and somewhat terete perpendicular bundles of fibres, 
corresponding in number and position to the grooves of the stem; in younger plants and on 
the upper part of the older ones these sticks are distinct, and sway in the wind like so many 
reeds, but at the lower part of the older stems they are reticulately connected with one another 
by ligneous tissue, the open meshes corresponding (just as in the cylindric Opuntic) with the 
bunches of spines or tubercles ; in the oldest stems the inner cavity becomes nearly filled by the 
same tissue. Stems mostly simple; older ones often with a few erect branches ; they are rarely 
much branched, but specimens have been observed where 5-9 branches sprang from the same 
part of the main stem ; the primary branches very rarely produce secondary ones. The branches 
usually drop off from the skeleton of the dead stems; but in very old specimens they remain, 
and present a view like the one in our landscape plate opposite the title-page, which is taken 
from an accurate sketch made on the spot by Mr. Melihausen.—Ribs at the base of the stem few 
(12-15), broad, obtuse, often almost obliterated, and generally without spines ; higher up the 
number of ribs increases to-about 18-21; they are triangular with an obtusish edge, separated 
by deep triangular acute grooves ; towards the top of the plant the young ribs are narrowly com- 
pressed, with obtusish edges and narrow grooves between them. The somewhat pulvinate areola 
are 7 lines long, nearly 6 lines in diameter, about an inch distant from one another, sometimes 
more closely approximate; at first they are covered with a thick yellowish or tawny tomentum. 
Lower and upper radial spines 6-12 lines long, sometimes a few additional shorter flexuous 
setaceous spines are placed above ; lateral ones 12-18 lines long, the lower ones longest ; the 4 
lower central spines straight, or very slightly curved downwards 20-30 lines, the 2 upper central 
spines 15-18 lines long, diverging upwards. The stoutest spines are one line in diameter, their 
bulbous base fully twice as thick. In old age, and towards the base of the stem the 6 central 
$pines fall off first, leaving the radiating ones appressed to the stem ; finally these also come off, 
together with the whole areola. The flowers are produced in abundance near the summit of the 
stems and branches ; the fruit is usually found 6-12 inches from the centre of the top. Speci- 
mens of flowers have been sent by Mr. Thurber and by Mr. Schott ; those of the former are not 
over 3 inches long ; the others have a longer tube, and are between 4 and 5 inches in length and 
3—4 inches in diameter; the flowers are probably open day and night. Ovary 1-1} inch long; 
lower scales of the tube triangular ; upper sepals fleshy, greenish-white, 3-1 inch long, lower 
ones 2, upper ones 3-4 lines wide; petals of a light cream color, 1-14 inch long, 6-8 lines 
wide above, very thick and fleshy, and very much curled. Filaments light yellow, adnate to 
the upper half of the tube, its lower part for the length of 1 or 1} inch naked. Stigmata over 
half an inch long, slender, suberect, of a greenish-yellow color. Fruit 24-3 inches long, 14-2 
inches in diameter, oval or obovate, or often narrowed at base and almost pear-shaped, (perhaps 
where many are crowded together ;) the remains of the flower falling off leave a broad convex 
scar ; the color of the fruit is green, and towards the upper end reddish. The pericarp has the 
hardness of a green cucumber, somewhat softer towards the apex, and is about 2 lines thick ; 
it bursts open on the plant with 3 or usually 4 valves, which are red on the inside, and when 
spreading horizontally, or somewhat recurved, look like a red flower. The crimson-colored 
sweet but rather insipid pulp has the consistency of a fresh fig ; it completely separates from 
