OPUNTIA. 



117 



well to the plant which we know as Opuntia decumbens, originally described from plants 

 growing in the Botanical Garden in Vienna. 



Opuntia decumbens irrorata Forbes (Hort. Tour. Germ. 158. 1837) is doubtless the 

 same as 0. irrorata Martins (Pfeiffer, Enum. Cact. 154. 1837). These and 0. decumbens 

 longispina Salm-Dyck (Haage and Schmidt, Haupt-Verzeichnis 1912: 230. 1912) pre- 

 sumably belong here. 



Opuntia parvispina Salm-Dyck (Cact. Hort. Dyck. 1849. 238. 1850), described from 

 garden specimens of unknown origin, without flowers, has never been definitely placed. 

 Schumann Usts it among his unknown species, but attributes it to Mexico. Salm-Dyck 

 states that it resembles 0. puberula, but that it is glabrous. 



Illustrations: Curtis's Bot. Mag. 68: pi. 3914; Bliihende Kakteen 3: pi. 132. 



Fig. 145. — Opuntia decumbens. 



Plate XX, figure i, represents a flowering joint of a plant collected by Dr. MacDougal 

 and Dr. Rose at Tehuacan, Mexico, in 1906; figure 2 represents a fruiting joint of a plant 

 collected by William R. Maxon at El Rancho, Guatemala, in 1905. Figure 145 is from a 

 photograph of the plant taken at Tomellin, Mexico, by Dr. MacDougal in 1906. 



106. Opuntia depressa Rose, Smiths. Misc. Coll. 50: 517. 1908. 



Low, creeping or spreading plant, sometimes 60 cm. high and forming a patch 3 to 4 meters in 

 diameter; joints of a dark glossy yellowish green color, pubescent, when young, obovate, 20 cm. long, 

 usually with i long, somewhat curved spine at each areole, sometimes with i to 3 shorter ones, all 

 yellowish; old joints oblong, 30 cm. long, bearing 4 to 6 spines at each areole; flowers red; fruit small, 

 globular, with large clusters of brown glochids, when immature with a broad, deep umbilicus. 



Type locality: Near Tehuacan, Mexico. 

 Distribution: Southern Mexico. 



This plant is very common about Tehuacan, growing with species of Agave, Beau- 

 carnea, and Echinocactus. 



Figure 146 is from a photograph taken by Dr. MacDougal of the type plant. 



