REBUTIA. 
45 
This species was discovered in 1855 by E. Cels, a brother of F. Cels, at one time a 
cactus dealer, who first described the plant; it was again collected at the type locality 
by Captain Bertin in 1861, for whom it was named. The first plants obtained did not live, 
but those of the second collection lived and flowered. Since then no plants have been 
reported, although the region in which it grows must have been frequently visited by 
collectors. Dr. Spegazzini, who knows Argentina well, was surprised to learn that such a 
plant was reported from southern Argentina. The illustration of Cereus bertinii certainly 
seems to represent a quite distinct genus. Our attention was first called to this species 
by the discovery of the illustration, cited below, by Dr. Rose, in an old book stall on the 
banks of the Seine in Paris in 1912. 
Although described as Cereus, Cels calls attention to its relationship to Echinocereus 
and states that it should form a separate group. It has been cited as E. bertinii by Schelle 
(Handb. Kakteenk. 96. 1907). 
Schumann (Gesamtb. Kakteen 163. 1897) established a series in Cereus called Ancis- 
tracanthi for this species, which he seems to have abandoned as a series name, and the 
species itself is omitted from his Keys published in 1903. 
Illustration: Hort. Franc. II. 7: pi. 14, as Cereus bertinii. 
Figure 56 is copied from the illustration above cited. 
3 . REBUTIA Schumann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 5 : 102. 1895. 
Plants small, globose to short-cylindric, single or cespitose, tuberculate, not ribbed, resembling 
a small Coryphantha; flower diurnal, arising from old tubercles, at the base or side of the plant, small, 
red or orange, with a slender, somewhat curved funnelform tube and a spreading or campanulate 
limb; scales on ovary small, naked or hair)'' in their axils, withering and persistent on the fruit; fruit 
small, red, not spiny. 
Type species: Rebutia minuscula Schumann. 
Five species, all South American, are here described. These have been referred here¬ 
tofore either to Echinocactus or Echinopsis, or to both. They differ from Echinocactus in 
their lateral flowers borne at old areoles as well as in the structure of flowers, fruit, and 
plant-body. They are like Echinopsis in having lateral flowers, but otherwise very unlike 
any of the species of that genus. The plant-body in shape, size, and tubercles suggests 
some species of Coryphantha. 
We know so little of the plants that we are not able to describe them very accurately 
and have depended largely upon descriptions and illustrations. 
The genus was named by Schumann for P. Rebut, a cactus dealer. 
Key to Species. 
Axils of scales on ovary and fruit naked. i. R. minuscula 
Axils of scales on ovary and fruit hairy. 
Flowers from side of plant, near the middle. 2. R. fiebrigii 
Flowers from the lower part of the plant. 
Central spines 1 to 4. 3. R. pseudominuscula 
Central spines none. 
Areoles elliptic; spines spreading, swollen at base. 4. R. pygmaea 
Areoles circular; spines not widely spreading, not swollen at base. 5. R. steinmannii 
1. Rebutia minuscula Schumann, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 5 : 102. 1895. 
Echinopsis minuscula Weber, Diet. Hort. Bois 471. 1896. 
Echinocactus minusculus* Weber in Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen 395. 1898. 
Plants simple or tufted, globular, 2 to 5 cm. in diameter, covered with low tubercles arranged in 
16 to 20 spirals, bright green; spines in clusters of 25 to 30, 2 to 3 mm. long, whitish; flowers often 
numerous, arising from the spine-areoles near the base of the plant, slightly bent just above the ovary, 
funnelform, 2.5 to 3 cm. long, bright crimson; scales on the small ovary ovate, acuminate, with naked 
axils; perianth-segments about 12, about 1 cm. long, linear-oblong, acute; stamens 15 to 30, whitish; 
stigma-lobes 4 or 5, whitish; fruit 3 mm. in diameter, scarlet. 
*Weber (Diet. Hort. Bois 471. 1896) mentions it as a synonym, but does not describe it. It was introduced 
into cultivation in 1887 and has since been a favorite. 
