CACTACEZ OF WHIPPLE’S EXPEDITION. 165 
rg species has, by western botanists, generally been considered identical with the eastern 0. vulgaris. Riddell 
entions it as occurring in Kentucky and Lllinois ; Torrey & Gray in their Flora do not give any locality in the 
Missin valley; but Tdtineaaus had already observed it in Kentucky, and in his usual careless manner had indicated 
e speci Cactus humifusus (which, growing “ from New York to Kentucky and Missouri,” probably comprised 
oi O. vulgaris and our species) ; QO. ceespitosa, from Kentucky and Tennessee ; and O. mesacantha, from Kentucky to 
Louisiana. As it seems se taht from bis incomplete descriptions, to make out what he meant by three different 
names, and as we know only one species in those States of the Mississippi valley, I take the liberty of discarding those 
names, and of substituting he name of the author for the western species. It is not improper to state here that 
gue and partly erroneous descriptions have found their way into Seringe’s Bulletin (1831, page 216), 
into the Linnea (Vol. VIII.), into Pfeiffer’s Enumeratio Cactearum (page 146), and into other works, but with the 
substitution of Nuttall’s for Rafinesque’s name as authority. The “rounded joints” have, in these works, been 
taken for “ ties ” or “cylindric” joints, and our plant has been classed with the Opuntie glomerate from Chili 
and Mendoz 
A ey fors of O. Rafinesquii was collected near Fort Smith, on the western border of Arkansas. Farther west, 
where no true O. Rafinesquii has been found, several forms were met with which, though they exhibit some distinctive 
characteristics, are perhaps not sufficiently different to constitute distinct species. The flowers of most of them are 
unknown, as well as the leaves; but fruit and seed were carefully preserved, which not only furnish pan gs 
characters, but also the means to propagate, cultivate, and further to study them. We append them as sub-species 
1. RADICE FIBROSA. 
O. cyMocHILA: diffusa, articulis orbiculatis pulvillis subremotis griseo-tomentosis stramineo s. fulvo-setosis, 
plerisque armatis; aculeis 1-3 robustioribus elongatis teretibus s. subcompressis tortisque albidis basi sepe rufe- 
scentibus, patulis deflexisve, additis sepe 2-3 gracilioribus radiatim deflexis ; flore? stigmatibus 8; bacca obovata 
umbilico plano s. parum depresso pulvillis 20-24 swage a gets parce setulosis, demum nudatie; seminibus 
irregularibus angulosis margine undulato acuto. (Plat gs. 
On the Camanche plains east of the Llaiio ieee near the 100th degree of longitude; and from there to 
Tucumcari hill, 80 miles east of the Pecos. Joints 2}-3 inches in diameter, orbicular or very slightly obovate ; pul- 
villis 6-8 lines apart; the very light yellowish-brown bristles numerous, and conspicuous only on the older joints. 
Only the lowest pulvilli of a joint unarmed; upper ones with 2-5 spines; 2 or 3 larger ones, often reddish-bro 
lower half, 1-2 inches long ; lower, smaller, ‘palet ones 3-9 lines long. Fruit oval, 1-1} inches long, about 10 lines in 
diameter, purplish, eae sweet, and edible, less contracted at base than O. Rafinesquit. Seed remarkably irregular 
and twiste 1 lines in diameter, with a wavy or twisted very —_— rim, whence the name which indicates the 
ulated badek: 
The orbicular joints, the numerous spines, the oval not clavate fruit, and curiously twisted seed, seem to distin- 
guish this furm sufficiently from 0. Rafinesquii ; but ne characters may not be sufficiently constant or important to 
constitute specific difference. The characters of Opuntie are not yet vitisiedéy studied to permit us to form satisfac- 
tory conclusions about their diagnostic importance; so we find a form collected on the Sandia mountains, near 
Albuquerque, which in habit and appearance does not differ from the common form of O. Rafinesquii, but which has 
the seeds of O. cymochila. 
MOCHILA, B. MONTANA: articulis orbiculatis majoribus inermibus s, margine superiore solum ai 
leatis ; palviftia remotis irae meee aculeis singulis binisve validis albidis infra fuscis ; bacca ai [43] 
subclavata seminibus irregularibus acute undulategiie marginatis. Joints fea inches in diameter ; pulvilli 
a1 lines apart ; spines 12-18, smaller ones 4-6 lines long, on some plants entirely wanting. Fruit 14 inches long, 
much contracted at base, with a much depressed, almost funnel-shaped umbilicus. Seeds cannot be distinguished 
from those of the plant of the plains. 
b. O. STENOCHILA: prostrata, articulis obovatis, pulvillis remotis stramineo-setosis superioribus solum armatis ; 
aculeis singulis albidis patulis, 1-2 minoribus deflexis seepe adjectis; bacca obovata clavata pulposa, umbilico lato 
parum immerso, seminibus regularibus crassis anguste obtuseque marginatis. (Plate XII. figs. 4-6.) 
At the cafion of Zuiii. Joints 4 inches long and 3 wide, flaccid or often lying flat on the ground (in Novem- 
ber); pulvilli 12 lines apart, small, with yellowish or greenish bristles ; larger spines 1-1} inches long, smaller ones 
less than half as long. Fruit green or pale red, very juicy, 14 Sincloein long: but sometimes much enlarged, even 
more juicy, and 2-24 inches long and 1 inch in diameter above, long clavate toward the base. Seeds quite charac- 
— about 2} lines in diameter, 14 line thick, regular, with a very narrow and somewhat obtuse rim, whence 
h me 
i the same neighborhood another plant was found with similar seed, but smaller, more rounded, and somewhat 
more spinous joints, fruit less clavate, smaller, seeds similar, but a little smaller. 
