STANDLEY TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 859 



Branches with few or no spines 3. p. tampicana. 



Branches very spiny. 



Leaves acuminate, cuneate at base 4. P. zinniaeflora. 



Leaves merely acute, not cuneate at base 5. P. conzattii. 



1. Pereskia aculeata Mill. Gard. Diet. ed. 8. 1768. 

 Cactus pereskia L. Sp. PI. 469. 1753. 

 Pereskia pereskia Karst. Deutsch. Fl. 888. 1882. 

 Pereskia godsefflana Sander, Gard. Chron. III. 43: 257. 1908. 

 Cultivated throughout tropical America ; perhaps an escape in Mexico. 

 Shrub, at first erect, but the branches often clambering and forming vines 



3 to 10 meters long; spines on lower part of stem solitary or 2 or 3 together, 

 slender and straight ; spines in the axils of the leaves paired, rarely in threes, 

 short, recurved ; leaves short-petioled, lanceolate to oblong or ovate, short- 

 acuminate, tapering or rounded at base, 7 cm. long or less ; flowers in panicles 

 or corymbs, white, pale yellow, or pinkish, 2.5 to 4.5 cm. broad ; ovary leafy 

 and often spiny ; fruit light yellow, 1.5 to 2 cm. in diameter, when mature 

 quite smooth ; seeds black, somewhat flattened, 4 to 5 mm. in diameter. "Gro- 

 sellero " ( Cuba ) . 



This species is often cultivated, the flowers being handsome, although they 

 have an offensive odor. The fruit is edible, and is sometimes used for making 

 preserves. The leaves are said to be employed in Brazil as a pot herb. In 

 the British West Indies the plant is sometimes known as -Barbados goose- 

 berry or Spanish gooseberry. 



2. Pereskia lychnidiflora DC. Prodr. 3: 475. 1828. 



Mexico ; known only from a drawing by Mocino and Sesse. 



Evidently a tree or shrub ; branches cylindric, woody ; leaves 4 to 7 cm. 

 long, oval to oblong, pointed, rounded at base, sessile; axils of leaves each 

 bearing a stout spine 2 to 5 cm. long and several long hairs; flowers 6 cm. 

 broad, solitary, borne at the ends of short stout branches; petals broadly cune- 

 ate, laciniate at the apex ; ovary turbinate, bearing small leaves. 



3. Pereskia tampicana Weber, Diet. Hort. Bois 939. 1898. 

 Reported only from Tampico, Tamaulipas. 



Shrub ; branches often without spines, or the spines several, needle-like, 

 black, 2 to 3 cm. long ; areoles globular, appearing as knobs along the stem ; 

 leaves about 5 cm. long, petioled ; flowers 2.5 cm. long ; petals entire, rose- 

 colored. 



4. Pereskia zinniaeflora DC. Prodr. 3: 475. 1828. 



Based upon a drawing by Mocino and Sesse, and not otherwise known. 



Shrub ; leaves oval to oblong, 2 to 4 cm. long, acuminate, cuneate at base ; 

 spines on young branches 1 or 2 at an areole, on old branches 4 or 5, all less 

 than 1 cm. long ; flowers 5 cm. wide, rose-red ; petals entire, obtuse or retuse ; 

 style and stamens very short ; ovary truncate, bearing small stalked leaves. 



5. Pereskia conzattii Britt. & Rose, Cactaceae 1: 24. 1919. 

 Southern Oaxaca, the type from Salina Cruz. 



Tree, 8 to 10 meters high ; bark of stems and branches brown and smooth ; 

 leaves orbicular to obovate, acute, 1 to 2.5 cm. long; areoles small, with short 

 white wool and a few long hairs ; spines 2 to 6 on young branches, 10 to 20 

 on main stem, acicular, 2 to 2.5 cm. long, at first yellowish brown, dark brown in 

 age ; ovary bearing small scales ; fruit naked, pear-shaped, more or less stalked, 

 3 to 4 cm. long; seeds black, glossy, 3 mm. long, with a small white liilum. 



