i6o 



THE CACTACEAE. 



1. Borzicactus sepium (HBK.). 



Cactus sepium Humboldt, Bonpland, and Kunth, Nov. Gen. et Sp. 6: 67. 1823. 



Cereus sepium De Candolle, Prodr. 3: 467. 1828. 



Cleistocactus sepium Weber in Gosselin, Bull. Mens. Soc. Nice 44: 36. 1904- 



Borzicactus ventimigliae Riccobono, Boll. R. Ort. Bot. Palermo 8: 262. 1909. 



Cereus ventimigliae Vaupel, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 13. 1913- 

 Stem slender, simple, columnar, r.5 meters high, about 4 cm. thick; ribs 8 to n, crenate, obtuse; 

 areoles 1.5 to 2 cm. apart; radial spines 8 to 10, slender, spreading, 5 to 10 mm. long; central spine 

 solitary, about 2 cm. long; spines all dark red with yellowish bases when young, gray in age; flowers 

 somewhat zygomorphic, about 4 cm. long, 3 cm. broad; scales on ovary and flower-tube woolly 

 in their axil's; outer perianth-segments lanceolate, erect, scarlet; inner perianth-segments cuneate, 

 red; pistil slightly exceeding the stamens ; stigma-lobes 10, short, green- 

 ish; fruit globular, 2 cm. in diameter ; flesh of fruit white ; seeds numerous. 



Type locality: Near Riobamba, at foot of Chimborazo, 

 Ecuador. 



Distribution: Dry hills along the interandean valley of 

 Ecuador from San Antonio to Riobamba. 



The plant blooms from July to September, while the flowers 

 are said to remain open for 48 hours. 



A careful examination of the description of Humboldt's 

 Cactus sepium convinces us that it is the same as Borzicactus 

 ventimigliae. Not only are the two descriptions similar, but the 

 two types came from the high Andes of Ecuador and a plant sent 

 by Mr. Riccobono from Palermo as B. ventimigliae is the same as 

 one sent from the Berlin Botanical Garden as Cereus sepium. Dr. 

 Rose, when in Ecuador in 191 8, visited Riobamba, but did not 

 see this species there; but he did find it a little north on the hills 

 about Ambato (No. 22389). He also saw what he took to be 

 this species between Ambato and Quito, and, again, collected 

 the species at San Antonio, north of Quito (No. 23557). 



The fruit is eaten at Ambato and doubtless elsewhere and is known as muyusa. 



Figure 229 shows the top of a plant obtained by Dr. Rose from the Botanical Garden 

 at Palermo, Italy. 



2. Borzicactus morleyanus sp. nov. 



Plant low, growing in clumps, prostrate or with erect branches, sometimes hanging over cliffs 

 or ascending and leaning against rocky banks for support, 4 to 6 cm. in diameter; ribs 13 to 16, low, 

 obtuse, divided into tubercles by V-shaped creases above the areoles ; areoles circular, 1 cm. apart or 

 less; spines numerous, 15 to 20, bristly or somewhat acicular, brown, unequal, the longer ones 2.5 

 cm. long; flowers narrow, 5 to 6 cm. long, slightly oblique; perianth-segments spreading, acute; 

 stamens exserted ; filaments purple above, white or tinged with pink below, erect ; style cream-colored ; 

 stigma-lobes 10, cream-colored. 



Very common at Sibambe, Ecuador, where it was collected by J. N. Rose and George 

 Rose, August 29, 1918 (No. 22431, type), and above Huigra, August 28, 1918 (No. 22426). 



Here may belong Dr. Rose's plant (No. 22829) from Cuenca, although it has somewhat 

 different spines and perhaps more ribs on the stem. 



It is named for Mr. Edward Morley, of Huigra, Ecuador, who greatly aided Dr. 

 Rose in his explorations in Ecuador in 191 8. 



Figure 230 shows the top of a flowering stem, and figure 231 shows the type, photo- 

 graphed by George Rose. 



3. Borzicactus icosagonus (HBK.). 



Cactus icosagonus Humboldt, Bonpland, and Kunth, Nov. Gen. et Sp. 6: 67. 1823. 



Cereus icosagonus De Candolle, Prodr. 3: 467. 1828. 



Cereus isogonus Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen 102. 1897. 



Cleistocactus icosagonus Weber in Gosselin, Bull. Mens. Sci. Nice 44: 34. 1904. 



Fig. 229. — Top of plant of 

 Borzicactus sepium. X0.6. 



