OPUNTIA. 



Joints pubescent. 



Areoles surrounded by purplish spots 105. 0. decumbens 



Areoles not surrounded by purplish spots 106. O. depressa 



99. Opuntia bella sp. nov. 



Stems low, 10 to 12 dm. high, forming thickets; joints oblong, repand, 10 to 16 cm. long, dull 

 dark green; areoles i to 2 cm. apart, somewhat elevated, small, filled with short brown wool and 

 glochids; leaves minute, 1.5 to 2.5 mm. long; spines white, 2 to 6, unequal, acicular, the longer ones 

 about 2 cm. long; flowers 5 cm. long, "sulphur-yellow turning to orange-red;" petals 20 to 22 mm. 

 long; ovary deeply umbilicate; "fruit small, greenish yellow." 



Opuiiliii bella in the fortground. 



Type locality: Venticas del Dagua, Dagua Valley, western cordillera of Colombia. 

 Distribution: Western Colombia. 



The type is based upon plants collected by Mr. Henry Pittier in the State of Cauca, 

 Colombia, in 1906, and grown ever since in Washington and New York. The species is 

 very common in Cauca, forming with other cacti impenetrable thickets. 



Figure 137 is from a photograph by Mr. Pittier of the type plant, taken near Cauca, 

 Colombia, in 1906; figm-e 138 is from a photograph by the same collector, showing flowering 

 and fruiting joints; figure 139 represents a single joint. 



