CORYPHANTHA. 



29 



There has been considerable confusion regarding this species, which was first described 

 as Mammillaria scheeri by Miihlenpfordt in 1847, but this proved to be a homonym. This 

 led Poselger in 1853, when he transferred the species to Echinocactus , to publish it as E. 

 muehlenpfordtii. 



Dr. Engelmann in 1856 described a variety of Mammillaria scheeri, calling it valida. 

 Some time afterwards he compared this variety with the type of the species and decided 

 that they were the same. We have examined several specimens from near the type locality 

 of the variety valida, which is near El Paso, Texas. 



It is possible that Scheer's plant was a very young one, which might account for the 

 differences in form and spines. The Mammillaria scheeri of Schumann's Monograph is 

 a complex of 4 or 5 distinct species. 



Illustrations: Allg. Gartenz. 15: 97. pi. 2; Forster, Handb. Cact. ed. 2. 406. f. 44; 

 Schumann, Gesamtb. Kakteen 485. f. 80; Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 8: 23; 10: 127; Schelle, 

 Handb. Kakteenk. 237. f. 153, as Mammillaria scheeri. 





Fig. 28. — Coryphantha muehlenpfordtii. 



Fig. 29. — Coryphantha bumamma. 



Figure 28 is from a photograph of a plant collected in western Texas by Mrs. S. h- 

 Pattison in 1920. 



7. Coryphantha guerkeana (Bodeker). 



Mammillaria guerkeana Bodeker, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 24: 52. 1914. 



Plant-body globular, 6 to 7 cm. in diameter; tubercles bluish green, somewhat broader than 

 thick, bearing a large red gland at base of groove and sometimes at top; radial spines 9 to 12, yellow 

 when young, spreading, bulbose at base, rather stout ; central spines 3 or 4, rarely one of them stouter, 

 often bent slightly at tip; flowering areoles very woolly; ovary oblong, naked; flower and fruit not 

 seen. 



Type locality: Mexico. 



Distribution: Durango, Mexico. 



This species is near Coryphantha poselgeriana, but is smaller and has different spines. 



We have seen photographs of the type and have spine-clusters, all obtained from L. 

 Quehl of Halle. We would also refer here specimens obtained by Dr. E. Palmer near 

 Durango City in 1906 (No. 456). 



