158 Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



last but forming 'low wide spreading bushes.'" Joints more 

 slender, only about 4 or 5 lines in diameter, alternating (not oppo- 



erticillate,) 



an acute angle, sub- 



site llUi *v.xvi^» ,/ O ,.,• , .1.1-1 J 



erect tubercles more prominent, serolee whitish at their lower edge, 

 with '3 dusky deflexed spines; fruit plavate, tuberculate, pale yel- 

 low, 1 inch long, 4 lines in diameter. 



I believe this to be an undescribed species, and would propose 

 the name for it of O. Californica. 



12. Opuntia. " October 10th, 1846, abundant," 3 feet high, with 

 SDreadino- branches, the same in circumferepce, , • , t 



I can see no difference between this figure and a plant which 1 

 have received frotn El Passo, by Dr. Wislizenus, and which I have 

 riescribed in his report under the name of 0. vaginata.- . . 



Nos 13—15 are no cacti. In 13 I recognise the Kceberhma 

 zuccarini a shrub common in the chaparals of northern Mexico, 

 which -has been collected in flower about Parras and Saltillo, by 

 Srs Wislizenus and Gregg. The fruit is unknown so far; the speci- 

 men fio-ured is however in fruit; the berry (?) is globose, |-1 Une 

 iTdiameter, crowned with the rudi^ment of the style. It^as co -. 

 lected October 23d, 1846, and is described as a shrub 3 feet high, 

 with low spreading boughs. . ,, • 



14 Collected "November 15, 1846. 4 feet high, rare," is per- 

 haps'another ' species of the same genus, but the entire absence oi 

 flower or fruit make it impossible to decide. . 



Branches similar, straight, leafless, ending in robust^ dark spines, 

 Lnt much elongated and sub-erect, not horizontal, as in iSo. i^- 

 ^Is^'october 22d. Very abundant, 3 feet high, fruit 5 mche 



Inner'" It is entirely unknown to me, perhaps an agavel at led 

 long. ^^, J .„ , . . . ^„„._„n„ rpnresented, 



som 



e amatyllidaceous plant, if the fruit is correctly represenea, 

 I large radical leaves, and a ribbed or angular inferior h^^ 



with large 



crowned with the remains of the flower. , , r ^T.;ch 



In your letter you figure and describe a cactus plant, oiwn 



vou have before sent me the seeds, if I am correct about this 

 your notes, I would describe it in the following manner: 

 ^ Stem tall, erect, simple, or with a few erect branches, below 

 without spines; ribs about 20, oblique or spiral; ^^^^ l^^ff'^/^ase', 

 C...1. small (0.7 lines long,) obovate, oblique y truncate a d 



seeds small ^u. / imes luug,; uuv.»^.v, ^.^..^^..j -- ^^fvlpdons 

 black, smooth, shining, embryo hooked, no albumen; cot>leclo 



stems 2-5 feet in circumference, and 25 to 60 feet high 

 The ontv true cereus approaching this m size is c«rc«5 -^ 

 vianus- bJ this is vastly different. The question then arises 

 xt-hPther our species is not one of the few arranged now u^^J^^ r 

 genus pilocereus; but if it is a constant fact that the cotyledon ^ 

 lilocereus are thick and globose, our species cannot belong^ ^^ 

 the cotyledons are absolutely those of a true cereus. It is i''* . . 



1 



all laro-e columnar cacti, the fruit of which is epioie. 



name au liirg 



plant which is commonly^ called 

 ent from this California giant. 

 I propose for it the name cere 



The 

 ffer- 



