914 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM, 



1. Selenicereus grandiflorus (L.) Britt. & Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 



12: 430. 1909. 



Cactus grandiflorus L. Sp. PI. 467. 1753. 



Ce7-eus grandiflorus Mill. Gard. Diet. ed. 8. Cereus no. 11. 1768. 



Commonly cultivated in Mexico, and elsewliere in tropical regions. Native 

 of Jamaica and Cuba. 



Stems clambering, often 2.5 cm. in diameter, green or bluish green ; ribs 

 usually 7 or 8, sometimes fewer, low, separated by broad rounded intervals; 

 spines acicular, 1 cm. long or less, yellowish brown or brownish, in age gray, 

 intermixed with the numerous whitish hairs ; flower buds covered with tawny 

 hairs ; flowers about 18 cm. long ; outer perianth segments narrow, salmon- 

 colored ; inner perianth segments white, acute, entire ; fruit ovoid, 8 cm. long. 

 "Organillo" (Tamaulipas) ; " reina de la noche " ; "gigante" (Durango) ; 

 "reina de las flores " (Porto Rico). 



This is a well-known night-blooming cereus, often cultivated for its hand- 

 some fragrant flowers. The fruit is edible. The flowers and stems contain 

 several acrid principles, • including probably an alkaloid and a glucoside, to 

 one of which the name cactine has been given. The drug obtained from the 

 plant has an action similar to that of digitalis, and is used also in the treat- 

 ment of rheumatism. 



2. Selenicereus coniflorus (Weing.) Britt. & Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 



12: 199. 1909. 



Cereus coniflorus Weing. Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 14: 118. 1904. 



Selenicereus pringlei Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 12: 431. 1909. 



Cereus jalapensis Vaupel, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 26. 1913. 



Eastern Mexico, especially in Veracruz. 



Stems high-climbing, giving olf numerous aerial roots, pale green, becoming 

 parplish along the ribs, 5 or 6-ribbed ; intervals between the ribs either de- 

 pressed or shallow; margins of the ribs slightly wavy to strongly knobby; 

 spines acicular, pale yellow, the radials 4 to 6, with 1 central, porrect, 1 to 

 1.5 cm. long; bristles from the lower part of areoles 2, reflexed ; buds globular, 

 covered with white hairs ; flowers 22 to 25 cm. long ; outer perianth segments 

 linear, light orange or bronze to lemon-yellow; inner perianth segments pure 

 white, apiculate; scales on ovary and flower tube linear, reddish, their axils 

 bearing white hairs and spines; fruit globose, about 6 cm. in diameter. 



The plant is reported to have been gathered in large quantities in Veracruz 

 and shipped to the United States for use in the preparation of medicine. 



3. Selenicereus donkelaarii (Salm-Dyck) Britt. & Rose, Cactaceae 2: 200. 



1920. 



Cereus donkelaarii Salm-Dyck, AUg.. Gartenz. 13: 355. 1845. 



YucatSn. 



Stems elongate, creeping or ascending, 8 meters long or more, slender, about 

 1 cm. thick ; ribs 9 to 10, obtuse, often indistinct ; spines in clusters of 10 to 

 15, the radials 3 to 4 mm. long, setaceous, appressed ; central spines 1 or 

 several, 1 to 2 mm. long; flowers 18 cm. long, the slender tube 6 to 7 cm, 

 long; outer perianth segments reddish, linear; inner perianth segments white, 

 entire, 6 to 8 cm. long, about 1 cm. wide, acuminate. 



4. Selenicereus pteranthus (I^ink & Otto^ Britt. & Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. 



Herb. 12: 431. 1909. 

 Cereus pteranthus Link & Otto, Allg. Gartenz. 2: 209. 1834. 

 Cereus nycticallus Link; Dietr. Wochenschr. Ver. Beford. Gartenb. 10: 



372. 1834. 

 Cereus hrevispinulus Salm-Dyck, Hort. Dyck. 339. 1834. 



