OPUNTIA. 



93 



flowers lateral, brownish; ovary small, with a depressed umbilicus, its areoles bearing small glochids 

 and a little wool; fruit 12 to 15 mm. long; seeds 3 mm. broad, irregular. 



Type locality: Near Moreno, Jujuy, Argentina. 

 Distribution: Northern Argentina and adjacent Bolivia. 



This peculiar little plant, heretofore known only from the type collection, was obtained 

 by Dr. Shafer on stony plains at Villazon, Bolivia, in February 1917, but was not in bloom. 

 Illustration: Nov. Act. Soc. Sci. Upsal. IV. i': pi. 8, f. 4 to 8. 

 Figure 107 is copied from the illustration above cited. 



63. Opuntia hickenii sp. nov. 



Low, cespitose, forming clusters i meter in diameter; joints globular, 3 to 5 cm. in diameter, 

 strongly tuberculate, the lower tubercles usually spineless; areoles rather large, circular; spines 2 to 5, 

 flat and thin, narrow, weak, pungent, 5 to 12 cm. long, silvery-colored but nearly black in age; 

 flowers yellow; fruit not known. 



Type in United States National Herbarium, No. 603229, from Puerto Madryn, Chubut, 

 Argentina, collected by Cristobal M. Hicken. 



Common in Chubut and Rio Negro, southern Argentina, where it was collected several 

 times by Dr. Hicken. 



Figure 108 represents the type specimen above cited. 



A photograph of a plant from San Juan, Argentina, communicated by Dr. Spegaz- 

 zini, indicates another species of this relationship. 



64. Opuntia darwinii Henslow, Mag. Zool. Bot. i: 466. 1837. 



Low, perhaps not more than 2 to 4 cm. high, much branched at base from a more or less elon- 

 gated woody root; joints normally few, nearly globular, about 3 cm. in diameter, or often nearly 

 cylindric, frequently numerous and small and growing out from the main axis, then only 5 to 10 mm. 

 in diameter; areoles large, filled with wool, the lower ones spineless; spines i to 3, nearly erect, the 

 longest one 3 to 3.5 cm. long, yellow or reddish yellow, decidedly flattened; flowers originally de- 

 scribed as larger than the joints, but certainly often much smaller; petals yellow, broad, with a trun- 

 cate or depressed top and usually with a mucronate tip; ovary, in specimens seen, only 2 cm. long, 

 covered with large woolly areoles ; styles described as stout, with 9 thick radiating stigma-lobes. 



Type locality: Port Desire, Patagonia, latitude 47° south. 



Distribution: Southern Argentina. 



This species seems to be common in that part of Patagonia known now as the Ter- 

 ritory of Santa Cruz, Argentina. We have recently examined four separate collections 

 made in this region, especially one from about Lake Buenos Aires and on the Fenix River 

 by Carl Skottsberg, in 1907- 1909. 



The plant is in cultivation in Europe and is offered for sale by cactus dealers. 



It was first collected by Charles Darwin, but only a single joint was taken, which was 

 described and figured by Rev. J. S. Henslow. The illustration of the flowers seems too 

 large, but otherwise represents fairly well the plant as we know it. The following interest- 

 ing note is taken from Mr. Henslow 's article as it appeared in the Magazine of Zoology and 

 Botany, volume i, page 467: 



I have named this interesting Cactus after my friend C. Darwin, Esq., who has recently 

 returned to England, after a five years' absence on board H. M. S. Beagle, whilst she was employed 

 in surveying the southernmost parts of South America. The specimen figured was gathered in the 

 month of January, at Port Desire, lat. 47° S. in Patagonia. He recollects also to have seen the 

 same plant in flower as far south as Port St. Julian in lat. 49° S. It is a small species growing close 

 to the ground on arid gravelly plains, at no great distance from the sea. The flowers had one day 

 arrested his attention by the great irritability which their stamens manifested upon his inserting a 

 piece of straw into the tube, when they immediately collapsed round the pistil, and the segments of 

 the perianth soon after closed also. He had intended to procure fresh specimens on the following 

 day, and returned to the ship with the one now figured, but unfortunately she sailed immediately 

 afterwards, and he was prevented from obtaining any more. The geographical position of this 



