ECHINOCEREUS 



ECHINOCEREUS 



1093 



shaped tube; fl.-tube and ovary covered with clusters 

 of spines; stigma-lobes always green. This genus has 

 commonly been merged into Cereus, although it seems 

 to be quite distinct. 



Most of the species of Echinocereus are unsuited 

 for greenhouse purposes, for when brought under glass 

 they survive only for a few years. The very large 

 flowers of some species make them very attractive 

 while in bloom. 



A. Sts. covered with long weak bristles or hairs, and 

 resembling a small plant of Cephalocereus senilis. 



1. De Laetii, Giirke. Low and cespitose, 6-10 in. high: 

 ribs 17-20: radial spines numerous; central spines 4 or 

 5, intermixed with long, hair-like bristles entirely 

 hiding the plant: fls. small, rose-colored. Mex. This 

 species has been secured in great quantities by Euro- 

 pean dealers. It closely simulates a small Cepha'ocereus 

 senilis, but has very different fls. and fr. 



AA. Sts. variously covered with spines, but not like the 



above (Nos. 2-27). 



B. The sts. weak and trailing, at least becoming prostrate. 

 c. Ribs nearly continuous. 



2. Scheeri, Lem. (Cereus Scheeri, Salm-Dyck). 

 Branching freely from the base of the st. and forming 

 dense clusters: branches upright or ascending, about 

 8 in. long by 1 in. diam., slightly tapering toward the 

 apex, dark green: ribs 8-9, straight or sometimes 

 inclined to spiral, separated above by sharp grooves 

 which become flattened toward the base, low arched: 

 areples little more than J^in. apart, round, yellowish 

 white: radial spines 7-9, spreading, needle-like, the 

 under pair the longest, about J^- %in. long, white with 

 yellowish bases ; centrals 3, the lower the longest, about 

 ^gin., red with brown bases; later all the spines become 

 gray: fls. red, from the upper part of the st., about 5 

 in. long; ovary and tube bracteate and furnished with 

 abundance of wool and spines. Mex. 



cc. Ribs divided into tubercles. 



D. Central spines, when present, short: flowering areoles 

 bearing cobwebby wool. 



3. procumbens, Lem. (Cereus procumbens, Engelm.). 

 Branching from the lower part of the st. and so form- 

 ing clusters: branches procumbent or ascending, 

 angled, at the base tapering into cylindrical, 1^-5 in- 

 long by YT-% in. diam. : ribs mostly 5, rarely 4, straight 

 or spiral, on the upper portion of the branch almost 

 divided into tubercles: areoles M~Hin. apart, round, 

 sparingly white curly-woolly, soon naked : radial spines 

 4-6, subulate, stiff, straight, sharp, in young growth 

 brownish, then white, at the base often yellowish and 

 the tip brownish, horizontally spreading, the upper 

 the longest, reaching Urn. length; central solitary or 

 absent on the lower areoles, somewhat stronger, %-% 

 in. long, darker: fls. lateral, from just below the crown, 

 3-4 in long, carmine-red to violet, with white or yel- 

 lowish throat: fr. ellipsoidal, green, -^in. long. Mex. 



DD. Central spines slender: flowering areoles with short 



wool. 

 E. Length of central spine %in. 



4. Berlandieri, Lem. (Cereus Berlandieri, Engelm.). 

 Sts. prostrate, richly branching, forming dense clus- 



ters, the branches upright or ascending, 2-3 in. long or 

 longer, by M~M in. diam., light or dark green, and in 

 young growth often purplish: ribs 5-6, broken up into 

 as many straight or spiral rows of tubercles; tubercles 

 conical, pointed : areoles Y%-% in. apart, round, white- 

 woolly, soon naked : radial spines 6-8, stiff bristle-form, 

 thin, horizontally spreading, white, about %in. long, 

 the upper one sometimes light brown and somewhat 

 stronger; central solitary, yellowish brown, sometimes 

 reaching %in. length: fls. from the upper lateral 

 areoles, 2-3 in. long, red to light pink: fr. ovoid, green, 

 bristly. S. Texas and N. Mex. 



EE. Length of central spine 1 in. or more. 



5. Blankii, Palmer (Cereus Blankii, Poselg.). Branch- 

 ing freely from the base and thus forming clusters: 

 sts. columnar, tapering above, about 6 in. long by 

 1 in. diam., dark green: ribs 5-6 (rarely 7), straight, 

 almost divided into tubercles: areoles about f^in. apart, 

 round, white curly-woolly, later naked: radial spines 

 mostly 8, horizontally spreading, the under pair the 

 longest, reaching about j^in. length, all stiff, straight, 

 thin, white or the upper ones carmine-red when young, 

 later reddish brown; central solitary, porrect, later 

 deflexed, 1-1 M in. long, white or brownish, black when 

 young: fls. from near the crown, 2^-3 in. long, purple- 

 red to violet. Mex. R.H. 1865:90. 



BB. The sts. usually short and stout, usually erect, 

 c. Fls. rather small, scarlet. 



D. Ribs 5-7. 

 E. Spines terete. 



6. paucispinus, Rumpl. (Cereus paucispinus, 

 Engelm.). Clustered in irregular bunches: sts. cylin- 

 drical to ovoid, 47 in. high by 1^-3 in. diam.: ribs 

 5-7, undulate: areoles ^g-^in. apart, round, white- 

 woolly, later naked : radial spines 3-6, spreading, subu- 

 late, straight or curved, round, bulbose at the base, the 

 lowest one longest, reaching %in., light-colored, the 

 upper ones reaching to about Kin., reddish or brown- 

 ish; central solitary or none, reaching about 1^ in. 

 length, somewhat angled, brown-black, porrect or up- 

 right; later all the spines blackish: fls. 2 in. or more 

 long, dark scarlet to yellowish. Texas and Colo. 



Var. gonacanthus, K. Sch. (E. gonacdnthus, Lem. 

 Cereus gonacdnthus, Engelm. & Bigel.). Radial spines 

 8, very large, angled and sometimes twisted, the upper 

 strongest, reaching nearly 3 in. length, light or dark 

 yellow with brown tips; central always present, deeply 

 grooved, often flattened, 3 in. or more long. Colo. 



EE. Spines angled. 



7. triglochidiatus, K. Sch. (E. triglochidiatus , 

 Engelm. Cereus triglochidiatus, Engelm.). Radial spines 

 usually 3, sometimes as many as 6, strong, angled, base 

 bulbose, straight or curved, about 1 in. long, soon ash- 

 gray. Texas and New Mex. 



DD. Ribs 9-11. 

 E. Axils of fl.-bracts filled with long cobwebby hairs. 



8. polyac&nthus, Engelm. (Cereus polyacanthus, 

 Engelm.). Sts. clustered, forming thick masses, cylin- 

 drical to ellipsoidal: ribs 9-13: radial spines 8-12, 

 robust, subulate, stiff and sharp, under one the longest, 

 nearly 1 in., upper ones scarcely ^in., white to red- 

 dish gray with dark tips; centrals 3y4, bulbose base, 

 stronger, about the length of the radials or the lowest 

 sometimes reaching 2 in., horn-colored; later all the 

 spines become gray: fls. lateral, about l%-2}4 in. long, 

 dark scarlet to Iblood-red : fr. spherical, about 1 in. long, 

 greenish red, spiny. Texas to N. Mex. 



EE. Axils of fl.-bracts bearing short wool. 

 p. Central spines always solitary: sts. 6-8 in. high. Mex. 



9. Setter, Lem. (Cereus dcifer, Otto). Sts. thickly 

 clustered, 6-8 in. high by 1^-2 in. diam., becoming 



