292 MACKENSEN: THREE NEW SPECIES OF OPUNTIA 
The type is no. 619758 in the U.S. National Herbarium. 
The species is named for Dr. David Griffiths, of the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture. 
Opuntia reflexa sp. nov. 
Plants from somewhat fleshy terete roots, attaining a height 
of over I meter and breadth of over 2 meters, with erect, ascending, 
and often long prostrate branches; joints obovate to oval, often 
broadly so, the apex often obtuse or acutish, 1.5 to 3 dm. long, 
or sometimes longer, the younger gray-glaucous green, the older 
yellowish or bluish green, and finally dirty yellow or grayish, and 
scurfy; leaves subulate, from very short to 10 mm. in length; 
areoles remote, filled with bristles and short wool, unarmed 
or bearing I or 2 or sometimes 3, and on the older joints 
often a greater number of spines; bristles, when young, yellow to 
reddish brown, when older pale dirty yellow, often mottled with 
brown, on old joints widely spreading and attaining a length of 
I5 mm.; spines, when young, pale yellow, often mottled with 
brown or red, when older yellowish white, mostly tinged with red 
at base, much flattened, mostly twisted, usually very slender, 
unequal, from very short to 5 or sometimes 7 cm. long, usually 
much or wholly reflexed; flowers opening yellow and soon turning 
orange, 8 to 10 cm. broad, 8 to 9 cm. long; petals obovate, cuspr 
date, 3.5 to 4 cm. broad, 5.5 to 6 cm. long, often some of them 
reflexed; stigma green, usually 7- or 8-lobed, equaling or slightly 
surpassing the stamens; fruit obovate in outline, about 4 
broad and 5 to 6 cm. long, dark purplish red without, pine 
within, the umbilicus istilly centrally depressed; seeds su 
orbicular to reniform with a prominent raphe, about 3 mm. long, 
grayish. 
Flowering in April and May. The fruit ripens in Augus 
September and is unpalatable and non-proliferous. 
The type is no. 619754 in the U. S. National Herbarium. 
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. 
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