NYCTOCEREUS. 119 



Known in Mexico as junco or junco cspinoso. 



Illustrations: Link and Otto, Ic. PI. Select, pi. 42, as Cactus serpcntinus; Bonpland, 

 Descr. PI. Rares pi. 36; Van Geel, Sert. Bot. 3: pi. 17, the last two as Cactus ambiguus; 

 Abh. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. Munchen 19: pi. 2; Cact. Journ. 1:59; Curtis's Bot. Mag. 64: 

 pi. 3566; Diet. Gard. Nicholson i:f. 410; Forster, Handb. Cact. ed. 2. f. 95; Gartenflora 

 31: pi. 1079, f. 2. c; Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 17: pi. 12; Rep. Mo. Bot. Gard. 16: pi. 

 1 1, f. 1 to 3 ; Riimpler, Sukkulenten f. 65, as Cereus serpentinus. 



Plate xv, figure 3, shows the flower of a plant in the collection of the New York Botan- 

 ical Garden. Figure 176 shows the fruit collected in Mexico by H. H. Rusby in 1910. 



2. Nyctocereus hirschtianus (Schumann) Britton and Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 12: 424. 1909. 



Cereus hirschtianus Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen 130. 1897. 



Stems columnar, erect, slender, 10 mm. in diameter; ribs 10, somewhat acute, 3 mm. high; 

 radial spines 7 to 9, slender, 4 to 5 mm. long; central spines 1 to 5, the lower one stouter and porrect; 

 flowers probably white, 5 to 6 cm. long, funnelform; perianth-segments spreading, acute; stamens 

 numerous, somewhat exserted; ovary and tube very spiny; fruit not known. 



Type locality: Nicaragua. 



Distribution: Known only from the type locality. 



This species differs from N. guatemalensis in its habit, more slender stem, its spines, 

 which are much more slender and delicate but not as long, and its smaller flowers. Wein- 

 gart has written extensively (Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23:108 to 111. 1913) about this 

 species, reaching the conclusion that it and N. guatemalensis are the same. We have both 

 types before us, and feel convinced that the species are distinct. 



Illustration: Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen f. 31, as Cereus hirschtianus. 



Figure 177 shows the flower of a cotype specimen in the herbarium of the United 

 States National Museum. 



3. Nyctocereus guatemalensis Britton and Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: 240. 1913. 



Cereus guatemalensis Vaupel, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 86. 1913. 



Stems half erect, arching, creeping, or even prostrate, 1 meter long or longer, 3 to 6 cm. in 

 diameter; ribs 8 to 12, very low; radial spines about 10; central spines 3 to 6, usually much longer 

 than the radials, the longer ones 3 to 4 cm. long; flowers very fragrant, 4 to 7 cm. long; ovary some- 

 what tuberculate, each tubercle crowned by an areole bearing a bunch of pinkish or brownish spines ; 

 outer perianth-segments brownish ; inner perianth-segments lanceolate, acute, nearly white ; stamens 

 much shorter than the perianth, attached all along the surface of the wide throat; style stout, 3 cm. 

 long; fruit about 2 cm. long, spiny; seeds black, shining, 3 mm. in diameter. 



Type locality: El Rancho, Guatemala. 



Distribution: Guatemala. 



Illustrations: Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 19: 167, as Cereus hirschtianus; Contr. U. S. 

 Nat. Herb. 16: pi. 70, 71. 



Plate xiv, figure 3, shows a part of the type specimen, which flowered at the New York 

 Botanical Garden in 19 15. Figure 178 is from a photograph of another part of the type 

 specimen. 



4. Nyctocereus neumannii (Schumann) Britton and Rose, Contr. TJ. S. Nat. Herb. 12: 424. 1909. 



Cereus neumannii Schumann in Loesener, Bot. Jahrb. Engler 29: 99. 1900. 



Stems columnar, up to 1 meter long, 3 cm. in diameter, ascending or decumbent; ribs 13, some- 

 what crenate; spines ioto 14, radials and centrals similar, acicular, up to 4 cm. long, grayish, brownish 

 when young; flower 10 cm. long; ovary tuberculate, bearing felt and brown or reddish spines in its 

 areoles; inner perianth-segments white, lanceolate, long-acuminate. 



Type locality: Near Chiquitillo, Metagalpa, Nicaragua. 

 Distribution: Known only from the type locality. 

 The plant is known to us only from description. 



