PERESKIA. 



13 



This species was described by De Candolle from Mocino and Sesse's drawing, but it has 

 never been collected since, so far as we can learn. Its large flowers with laciniate petals must 

 make this a very striking species and it is surprising that it has not been rediscovered. 

 Schumann thought it might be the same as P. nicoyana of Costa Rica, but a study of recent 

 Costa Rican collections indicates that the species are distinct. The measurements given in 

 the description are taken from De Candolle's plate, and may require some modification. 

 Cactus jimbriatus Mocino and Sesse (De Candolle, Prodr. 3 : 475. 1828) was published only as 

 a synonym of this species. 



Illustrations: Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 17: pi. 18; Forster, Handb. Cact. ed. 2. 

 1003. f. 136; Safford, Ann. Rep. Smiths. Inst. 1908: 545. f. 11. 



Text-figure 4 is copied from the fiirst illustration above cited. 



4. Pereskia nicoyana Weber, Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 8:468. 1902. 



Tree, usually about 8 meters high; branches rigid, stout, covered with smooth brown bark; spines 

 wanting or single, long (4 cm. long), stout and porrect ; leaves in fascicles on old branches, but alternate 

 on young shoots, lanceolate or oblanceolate, subsessile, the lateral veins almost parallel and some- 



FiG. 5. — Pereskia nicoyana. Xo.6. 



Fig. 6. — Pereskia zehntneri. Xo.6. 



times seeming to come from the base, acute, bright green, and somewhat shining; axils of the young 

 leaves containing long white hairs; petals reddish yellow, fimbriate; ovary pyriform, bearing 8 to 12 

 spreading leaves, except the uppermost ones, which are much smaller and connivent. 



Type locality: Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. 



Distribution: Costa Rica. 



The spines, hairs in the axils of the leaves, and fimbriate petals indicate a relationship to 

 the little-known P. lychnidiflora. 



Mr. H. Pittier informs us that this species is common in the open coastal forests along 

 the Pacific side of Costa Rica. The plant illustrated by Mr. Pittier, referred to below, has 

 a long, slender trunk and is very spiny. 



According to Mr. W. E. Safford, it has long, slender spines and the habit of the Osage 

 orange, and is used as a hedge plant in Costa Rica, where it is known as mateare or puipute. 



Illustration: Pittier, PI. Usuales Costa Rica pi. 2. 



Text-figure 5 was drawn from a plant obtained by Mr. C. Werckle at San Jose, Costa 

 Rica, in 1912. 



