NOPALEA GUATEMALENSIS, A NEW CACTUS FROM 



GUATEMALA 



By J. N. ROSE 



Among the interesting cacti which have been sent from Guate- 

 mala in recent years is Nopalea guatemalensis, of which good her- 

 barium specimens, living plants, and photographs were obtained by 

 Mr. Wm. R. Maxon. Photographs were also sent by Prof. W. A. 

 Kellerman and Prof. H. Pittier. 



The two habit photographs taken by Mr. Maxon here reproduced 

 represent a young and an old plant, while the other, taken by 

 Professor Pittier, shows flowers and fruit. (Plates xu, xi.ii.) 



The genus Nopalea, although closely resembling Opuntia in habit, 

 has very different flowers and seems to be distinct. Five species are 

 generally recognized, all of which are quite different from the fol- 

 lowing : 



NOPALEA GUATEMALENSIS Rose, sp. nov. 



Arborescent, 5 to 7 meters high, much branched; joints ovate to 

 oblong, the lower ones much thickened, the upper and younger ones 

 thinner, 15 to 20 cm. long, blue green in color; areolae numerous, 

 very spiny ; spines 5 to 8, very unequal, the longest ones 3 cm. long, 

 all standing out from the joints, white, the tips darker; leaves linear, 

 reflexed, acute; sepals broadly ovate, thickened; petals reddish (?), 

 about 1 cm. long, erect ; stamens exserted ; style much exserted ; fruit 

 clavate, the surface more or less tuberculate, red or "wine-colored," 

 4 to 5 cm. long, with a deep umbilicus. 



Collected by Wm. R. Maxon near El Rancho, Guatemala, altitude 

 270 meters, April 5, 1905 (no. 3774, type). 



In addition to the herbarium material, Mr. Maxon obtained living 

 plants and fruit and flowers brought in formalin, while Prof. H. 

 Pittier collected flowers and spines and preserved them in alcohol. 



Type in U. S. National Museum, no. 473,713. 



The spines described are from flowering joints. As the joint 

 grows older, the number of spines increases until 25 or more are 

 produced from a single areole. This is not an uncommon occur- 

 rence with certain arborescent species of Opuntia and Cereus. 

 330 



