232 Dr. Engelmann on the Cereus giganteus of California. _ 
. . 2 * . . i Sag 
bus decussatis quorum infimus longissimus robustissimus deflexus, _ 
This species ranges from north of the Gila river southwardly 
into Sonora, to within 20 miles of Guaymas on the Californian 
Gulf. It doubtless also occurs on the Peninsula of California; 
where, according to Vanegas in his history, published about 100 
years ago, the fruit of a great Cactus forms an important article 
of food to the natives of the eastern coast, the harvest time of 
which was a season of great festivity. The flowers are produc 
in May and June, and the fruit ripens in July and August. Mr. 
Thurber collected the last flowers and the first ripe fruit in the 
beginning of July. He has collected abundance of seed, and 
will be pleased to communicate it to those who take an interest 
in the cultivation of Cacti. The youngest plants Mr. Thurber 
noticed were three or four feet high, with narrow furrows and long 
spines ; the smallest flowering plants were about 12 feet high, 
and the tallest specimens observed appeared to reach the elevation 
of 45 or 50 feet. 
The ligneous fascicles correspond with the intervals betwee? 
the ribs, and not with the ribs themselves; of which Dr. ol 
has fully satisfied himself, and which indeed is the case inal 
ribbed Cacti. From between these bundles ligneous fibres radi- 
ate horizontally towards the ribs, and especially to the areo 
‘At the base of the stem the ribs are broad and obtuse, W 
wide and shallow intervals ; upwards the ribs are somewhat t 
gular, rounded or obtuse, with deep and acutish grooves betwee 
them ; towards the top of the plant the ribs are equally ane 
but quite compressed, and the grooves are deep and natruw: | 
e elevated areole are 7 ‘lines long, nearly 6 lines in diam- 
eter, about an inch distant from one another, sometimes mote 
closely approximated. 
