204 the; cactaceae. 



Our first description of this plant was based on an herbarium specimen, but consider- 

 able additional information is now known regarding its habit. A very fine plant was grown 

 at Darmstadt by J. A. Purpus, a photograph of which we have, showing that the main 

 branches are long and terete while the lateral branches are broad and thin, often pendent, 

 with I to 3 flowers near the end; the flowers are horizontal, with the perianth-segments 

 more or less recurved; the stamens and style are slender and long-exserted. 



Illustration: Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 28: 119, as Phyllocactus chiapensis. 



Figure 206 is from a photograph of the type specimen. 



7. ECCREMOCACTUS Britton and Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: 261. 1913. 



Plants epiphytic, pendent (erect or ascending in cultivation), several-jointed, the joints flat and 

 thickish with spine-bearing marginal areoles or in cultivation often spineless; flowers solitary at 

 upper areoles, funnelform, the short, nearly cylindric tube bearing small somewhat spreading scales, 

 but no spines; perianth withering-persistent, its segments obtuse, rounded, or the innermost acutish; 

 stamens and style white, included, slender, declinate; fruit carmine-red, oblong, with a few spine- 

 less areoles; seeds numerous, minute, black. 



Type species: Eccremocactus hradei Britton and Rose. 



Only one species is known, a native of Costa Rica. We have had the plant in cultiva- 

 tion for a number of years ; it is a shy bloomer. 



The generic name is from kKKpenTjs hanging from, and /ca/cros cactus. 



1. Eccremocactus bradei Britton and Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: 262. 1913. 

 Phyllocactus bradei Vaupel, Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 118. 1913. 

 Epiphytic on trees; joints 15 to 30 cm. long, 5 to 10 cm. broad, light dull green, flat, but the 

 central axis somewhat elevated on both sides, the margins shallowly crenate, with small spine- 

 bearing areoles in the sinuses; spines solitary or in 2's or 3's, dark brown, 6 mm. long or less; flowers 

 developing very slowly, 6 to 7 cm. long, slightly asymmetrical ; outermost perianth-segments thick, 

 shining, pinkish ; outer ones oblong, thinner, pinkish white ; inner perianth-segments oblong, obtuse, 

 3 to 3.5 cm. long; flower-tube i cm. long; throat broad, short, covered with stamens; filaments very 

 slender, delicate, white, strongly declined; style slender, nearly white, slightly pinkish above, elon- 

 gated, glabrous; stigma-lobes 8; ovary angled by the elongated tubercles; its areoles bearing a line 

 of short hairs, subtended by thick ovate purple scales; seeds 1.5 mm. long. 



Type locality: Cerro Turriwares, near Orotina (formerly Santo Domingo de San 

 Mateo), Costa Rica. 



Distribution: In dense forests at low altitudes, Costa Rica. 



Our attention was first called to this plant by Dr. Maxon, who obtained specimens 

 from Mr. Alfredo Brade in 1906; these bloomed in June 191 1, but good flowers were not 

 obtained. In 1913 Oton Jimenez sent specimens to Dr. Rose which flowered in 1918. 



The flowers open in the night and are closed on the following morning. The branches 

 of wild plants bear clusters of spines at the areole, but our cultivated plants are spineless 

 and in the vegetative state resemble those of a turgid Epiphylluni. When the plant sent 

 by Mr. Jimenez from Costa Rica (No. 905) flowered in 192 1 seven flower-buds were pro- 

 duced from the seven uppermost areoles. 



Illustration: Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: pi. 83. 



Plate XX is from a photograph of a plant sent to Washington by Oton Jimenez in 

 1913. which flowered in May 192 1. 



8. NOPALXOCHIA gen. nov. 



A flat-jointed, spineless epiph3rtic cactus ; joints crenate, the rather large, short-f unnelform, rose or 

 red flowers, solitary at lateral marginal areoles ; flower- tube about as long as limb, bearing several 

 narrow scales; outer perianth-segments short, acute, reflexed or spreading; inner spreading or con- 

 nivent, acute; stamens numerous. 



Type species : Cactus phyllanthoides De Candolle. 



A monotypic Mexican genus, the name taken from the Aztec of Hernandez. 



