36 



THE CACTACEAE. 



ovary with numerous prominent areoles filled with yellow bristles; fruit red, 4 cm. long; seeds 4 to 

 5 mm. in diameter. 



Type locality: Near El Rancho, Guatemala. 



Distribution: Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. 



This species, although not discovered until 1907, is very common, extending from 

 altitude 300 meters at El Rancho to altitude 1,100 meters near Aguas CaUentes. Accord- 



FiG. 41. — Nopalea dejecta. 



ing to Mr. Charles C. Deam, who has explored extensively in Guatemala, the plant when 

 growing on river sand-bars is low, but in rich soil is tall. 



Our reference of this species to Nicaragua is based on a specimen collected by A. S. 

 Oersted in 1 845-1 848 between Granada and Tipitapa. The joints of this, however, are 

 nearly orbicular or a little longer than broad, with numerous brown spines and glochids. 

 More material may show that this specimen should be referred elsewhere. 



Illustration: Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 12: pi. 58. 



Figure 40 shows a joint of a plant from Guatemala, received from F. Eichlam in 1911. 



