NOP ALBA. 



35 



The cactuses upon which the cochineal was raised were often grown in large planta- 

 tions called nopalries, sometimes containing 50,000 plants in rows about 4 feet apart. 



Since the introduction of the aniline dyes, the cochineal industry has almost dis- 

 appeared. The cochineal colors, while brilliant and attractive, are not very permanent. 



According to J. J. Johnson, this plant was introduced into cultivation in England, 

 in 1688; but according to Ray it was growing in Chelsea before that time. 



Illustrations: Hernandez, Nov. PI. Hist. 78 and 479. f. i. 1651, as Nopalnochetzli ; 

 Andrews, Bot. Rep. 8: pi. 533; Curtis's Bot. Mag. 54: pi. 2741, 2742; Descourtilz, Fl. 

 Pict. Antilles 7: pi. 516, all as Cactus cochenillijer. Cycl. Amer. Hort. Bailey i: 205. 

 f. 308; Gard. Chron. III. 34 : 92. f. 41 ; Pfeiffer and Otto, Abbild. Beschr. Gact. i : pi. 24, 

 all as Opimtia cochenillijera; Forster, Handb. Cact. ed. 2. f. 3, as Opuntia coccijera; 

 Dillenius, Hort. Elth. pi. 297, as tuna, etc. ; Agr. Gaz. 25 : pis. opp. p. 884; Amer. Garden 

 II : 457; Martius, Fl. Bras. 4'" : pi. 60. Schumann Gesamtb. Kakteen f. 109, b. 



Plate IV, figure i, shows a plant which flowered in the New York Botanical Garden 

 in 1912. 



2. Nopalea guatemalensis Rose, Smiths. Misc. Coll. 50: 330. 1907. 



Tree-like, 5 to 7 meters high, branched, sometimes nearly to the base; joints bluish green, ovate 

 to oblong, 15 to 20 cm. long; areoles numerous, filled with short white wool; spines 5 to 8, unequal, 

 nearly or quite porrect, white or sometimes rose-colored, the longest 2.5 to 3 cm. long; leaves small, 

 linear, reflexed; flower, including ovary, 5 to 6 cm. long; sepals ovate, thickened; petals red; fruit 

 4 to 5 cm. long, clavate, red, more or less tuberculate, deeply umbilicate, without prominent glochids; 

 seeds irregular, 4 mm. broad. 



Type locality: El Rancho, Guatemala. 

 Distribution: Arid valleys of Guatemala. 



Illustrations: Safford, Ann. Rep. Smiths. Inst. 1908: f. 13, 14; Smiths. Misc. Coll. 

 50: pi. 41, 42. 



Figure 39 illustrates joints of a plant obtained from Frank Weinberg in 19 10. 



Fig. 39. — Nopalea guatemalensis. X0.4. Fig. 40. — Nopalea lutea. X0.4. 



3. Nopalea lutea Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 12: 405. 1909. 



More or less arborescent, 5 meters high or less, with a short, definite trunk and several large, 

 lateral, more or less spreading branches; joints obovate to elliptic or oblong, 10 to 22 cm. long, pale 

 green, slightly glaucous; areoles about 2 cm. apart, large, filled with short brown wool; spines weak, 

 yellow, acicular or bristle-like, the longest 4 cm. long; flowers 5 cm. long; petals red, 2 cm. long; 



