129 
C. B. Clarke, of Kew, kindly continued his valuable aid 
American species of this family in a forthcoming number of 
“North American Flora.” 
Respectfully ma 
N. L. Britton, 
Director-in- Chief. 
THE SUWARRO, OR TREE CACTUS. 
In a recent number of the Journal (June, 1905) attention was 
called to the fact that Cereus gig Sidi was probably known to 
civilized man much earlier than tl t ily given (Emory, 
1846) and accepted by Sargent (Silva, 5: 54. 1863) Coronado’s 
expedition across Arizona in 1540-1542 passed through the region 
aes by this singular tree, but the earliest printed record 
t has come to notice is that which relates to the journey of 
ene a half century later (1604). In descending into the valley 
of the Colorado by way of the valley of the Bill Williams Fork 
his company passed through a region in which it is very abun- 
dant and he noted that the “‘ petahaya”’ was seen in the “ tierra 
caliente.’ No other large arboreous cactus which might be 
confounded with a suwarro (or sahuaro) is to be found in this 
region. 
In all of the older literature this plant was designated as a 
“ petahaya’’ but in more recent times it is called the ‘‘ suwarro’ 
by both Mexicans and Indians, while the original term is re- 
stricted to various smaller cylindrical forms, including both opun- 
tias and cerei 
An ex sctenided description of a pitahaya was given by Hernandez 
in 1690 (Medici atque Historici, etc., 3: 94. 1690) which is re- 
garded by some writers (see Bartlett, J. R., Personal Narrative, 
2: I9I-193. 1854) as referring to the tree in question. It is to 
be noted, however, that this as well as notes by Baron Humboldt 
possibly refers to Cereus Pringle’ or C. Pecten-aboriginum which 
