GRIFFITHS: ADDITIONAL SPECIES OF OPUNTIA 525 
spicules yellow, not prominent at first but later 3-4 mm. long 
and scarcely distinguishable from the spines, from which they 
differ only in size and position, and very slightly in color; spines 
white, short, porrect-divergent, five to ten in number, 5 mm. or 
less in length with often as many spicules a trifle less divergent in 
upper portion of areole; flowers carmine, filaments carmine, stigma 
very deep, dark green, thirteen-parted, with short segments and 
open throat; fruit, with us, greenish to yellowish, hemispherical, 
deeply pitted, 1.5 cm. in diameter. 
This species is more or less common in European collections, 
and is probably of South American origin. It is commonly 
received as Opuntia microdisca A. Weber, but differs from that 
species in almost every diagnostic character. We have had plants 
of it in blossom for three or four years but in no case have fertile 
fruits been produced, although hand-pollination has been resorted to 
and natural pollination by insects has been universal. The reason 
for this sterility is not apparent, but it may be due to our intense 
heat and drought during the time that the flowers are open. 
Opuntia longiclada sp. nov. 
An erect, open-branched shrub a meter or more high and 
having a spread of 2 m.; joints elliptical, widest slightly below 
middle and gradually narrowed both ways, pointed above and 
below, commonly 12 X 36 cm., this season’s growth now in 
blossom commonly 10.5 X 33 cm., at first rather bright yellowish 
green, turning slightly gray green yet having but little bloom, 
slightly raised at areoles and this disappearing the second year; 
areoles gray or light tawny, oval to subcircular, commonly 4 mm. 
long, bearing a darker central area; spicules inconspicuous, yellow, 
becoming noticeable and 2 mm. long in a compact, connivent 
tuft in upper portion of areole at one year of age; spines one to 
three, 1-1.5 cm. long, yellow, turning white, increasing with age 
to six to eight and often becoming 3 cm. long, usually one or 
two on sides of joints and more numerous on edges, flattened, 
twisted, with translucent tips; flowers yellow, greener within, 
5-5 cm. in diameter or 6 cm. when fully opened ; turning deeper 
yellow and developing the faintest tinge of red within at close 
of day; filaments greenish, style white, stigma large, light green, 
nine-parted; inner petals nearly orbicular; buds dull light green 
with tinge of dull red on the upper edges of the sepals; fruit pyri- 
form, purplish red throughout. (PLATE 30.) 
This species has been carried in our collections for the past 
