144 SYNOPSIS OF THE CACTACE OF THE UNITED STATES. 
RANDIFLORA, E.: subadscendens ; ; sage majusculis ; pulvillis remotis ; setis tenuissimis ; aculeis sub- 
Pes grandis ovario elongato ub-10 latissimis ; stigmatibus 5 ; bacca elongata clavata. 
n the Brazos, Texas. fil often - inches long; pulvilli nearly an inch apart. Flowers 43-5 inches in 
tien red in the centre ; petals 2 inches long or more, and 13 wide 
Dr. Bigelow collected, on his tour from Arkansas to Santa Fé, several forms, which, though somewhat distinct, 
are perhaps not entitled to be considered species. The true 0. Rafinesquit does not seem to occur west of the western 
line of Missouri and Arkan The western forms or subspecies are : — 
nullis ; 
O. cymocuiLa, E. & B. in P. R. R.: diffusa; articulis orbiculatis; pulvillis.subremotis stramineo-seu fulvo- 
setosis plerisque armatis; aculeis 1-3 robustioribus albidis basi fulvis patentibus oe additis sepe 
2-3 minoribus ; stigmatibus 8 ; see obovata ; Ree undulato-marginatis majuscu 296] 
Var. 8. MONTANA: subinermis ; stramineo-setos 
Along the Canadian River yon of the Llano ‘breech and on that plain. Var. 8. near Albuquerque. — Joints 
2h-3 inches in diameter, in f. larger ; longer spines 1-2 inches long. Fruit short, pulpy, sweet. Seed 2} lines in 
diameter, with a very sharp irregularly wavy or twisted border.— The var. 8. seems to unite the common O. Raji- 
nesquit with this form. 
O. stenocHiLa, E. & B. 1. c.: prostrata ; articulis obovatis ; pulvillis remotis stramineo-setosis, superioribus 
solum armatis ; aculeis singulis albidis patulis, 1-2 minoribus deflexis seepe adjectis; bacca obovata clavata ; seminibus 
crassis anguste marginatis. 
Zuni, western New Mexico. — Joints 4 inches long and 3 wide ; spines 1-1} inches long. Fruit green or pale 
red, very juicy, 14 or sometimes even 2} inches long. Seeds quite peculiar, regular, much thicker in proportion than 
those of most other Opuntie, and with a very narrow edge.— Another form, with smaller and rounder joints, more 
spines, smaller fruit, but similar seeds, was found in the same neighborhood. 
ll the forms described above have fibrous roots. The following are principally characterized ied their cay 
or tuberous roots, but can hardly be ani distinguished from the forms already described. re found west- 
ward of the range of O. Rafinesquii proper, and may be considered as subspecies, the peculiarities of iad are seadily 
propagated by seeds, 
O. macroruiza, E. in Plant. Lindh. part 1: prostrata, sepe adscendens, radicibus tuberosis ; articulis obovato- 
orbiculatis perviridibus ; pulvillis subremotis rufo-setosis, superioribus solum armatis ; aculeis singulis validis sepe 
variegatis patulis, 1-2 gracilioribus deflexis subinde additis ; alabastro acuminato; petalis circiter 8 sulphureis basi 
miniatis ; stigmatibus 5 ; bacca obovata basi clavata, umbilico lato ; seminibus subregularibus compressis minoribus. 
terile, rocky places on the upper Guadaloupe River, in Texas: flowers May and June. — Roots in young speci- 
mens fusiform, in old ones enlarged to fleshy tubers, sometimes 2 or 3 inches in diameter. Joints 2}-3} inches long ; 
the leaves and bristles the same as in 0. Rafinesquit. Flowers 3 inches in diameter. Fruit green or pale purple, 
smaller and sweeter than that of O. Rafinesquit. 
oO. FUSLIOREE, E. & bin 1 ce. : subprostrata ; radicibus elongato-fusiformibus ; articulis orbiculatis ; pul- [297] 
villis set irescenti tibus, plerisque.vel solum superioribus armatis; aculeis 2-3 gracilibus 
albidis deflexie seu sabepithics floribus minoribus ; stigmatibus 8 ; bacca ovata ; SE Se majusculis subregularibus. 
Nebraska, in the regions of the Civic Tistbein, fro the Canadian to the Big Bend of the Missouri. — 
Roots ‘Sangatek tubers 21 inch in diameter ; joints about 3-4 inches long ; spines an inch or a little more in length, 
slenderer and paler than in 0. Rafinesquii. Flowers 2-24 inches in diameter. Seed 23 lines wide. This plant has 
been distributed by me under the name of Opuntia bulbosa. 
17. O. Fusco-arra, E. in P. R. R.: diffusa; articulis orbiculato-obovatis tuberculatis ; pulvillis subremotis 
gnis griseo-tomentosis, inferioribus solum inermibus ; setis numerosis robustis longiusculis fuscis ; aculeis subsingulis 
robustis fusco-atris suberectis, altero breviore deflexo seepe adjecto; floris flavi ovario conico pulvillos 12-18 fulvo- 
villosos et fusco-setosos gerente; stigmatibus 5. 
Sterile places in prairies, west of Houston, Texas: flowers May. — The stout brown, or above almost black spines, 
and the thick bunches of unusually stout brown bristles on the small joints, give this plant a very distinct appearance. 
furnished by Professor Gray, side by side in sito we with 
our — ai asian 0. Rafinesquii. It is certainly less 
ny, flower is smaller than in our plant, 
but the pas ie green sepa the long spreading leaves, and the 
bright brown bristles, especially on the older joints, on which 
y increase.in number and length to considerable bunches, 
are characteristic of the ee With them I — growing 
the true O. vulgaris, sent by Dr. Schott from 
the Potomac, and probably not found north of Chesapeake 
Bay, with thicker light green joints, shorter, thicker, more 
adpressed leaves, and small bunches of short, thin, g greenish- 
yellow bristles. This is the plant which is cultivated in 
Europe under that name, and has become naturali 
northern Italy, and which I have ee and figured as 
such in Vol. IV. Pacif. R. Reports. 
