33 



CACTACEOUS PLANTS. 



endured very low temperatHrea nniniured. It is said to be found farther 

 north than any other Echinocactna, in Colorado at an elevation of 8500 feet, 

 or still higher in more southern districts. The tubercles are loosely 

 arranged, half to three-quarters of an inch long, with several white spread- 

 ing spines and a central yellowish one. The flowers are purple or rose, 

 rather small but numerous on the upper part of the stem. The plant is 

 dwarf, rarely exceeding 6 or 8 inches high, and usually much less, and was 

 introduced by Messrs. Backhouse several years ago. 



E. TiSNAGA, 27oo7je)- (the Toothpick Cactus). — Not only is this the most 

 remarkable in its own family, but in some respects it is also one of the most 

 peculiar in the whole vegetable world. Quite a sensation was created when 

 in 1846 this extraordinary plant was first described by Sir "William Hooker, in 

 the Illustrated London News, and the particulars were published of the enormous 

 weight and size which this species attains in its Mexican home. To 3?. Staines, 

 Esq., of San Luis Potosi, is due the honour of introducing the first specimens 

 to this country, which, however, was only effected after much labour and 

 repeated trials, as the plants had to be conveyed many hundreds of miles 

 across a most difficult country, with very rough roads, or in some parts none 

 at all, and the only vehicles that could be employed were large waggons 

 drawn by mules or oxen. The plants grow in deep ravines of the loftiest 



mountains of the district amongst large 

 stones and rooks, with very little soil ; 

 but there they reach an enormous size, 

 and being very slow in growth it is 

 reasonably supposed that some of the 

 largest must be several hundred years 

 old. The finest specimen yet sent to 

 this country was 9 feet high, 9^ feet 

 in circumference, and weighed 1 ton ; 

 but it died after it had been at Kew 

 about a year. Smaller but still won- 

 derful examples were subsequently sent, 

 the principal weighing about 713 lbs., was 4 feet 6 inches high, the longi- 

 tudinal circumference was 10 feet 9 inches, the transverse circumference 

 8 feet 7 inches. This also has been lost, and there are now few large plants 

 in cultivation, the two handsome specimens which so long formed a stand- 

 ing attraction in Mr. Peacock's collection having been lost a few years since. 

 The stem is cylindrical, with forty to fifty ridges, upon which the pale 

 brown sharp rigid spines are closely set in clusters of four, 2 or 3 inches in 

 length, and these, it is said, are used by the Mexican settlers as toothpicks. 

 The flowera are borne at the summit of the plant in a dense woolly substance ; 

 they are 3 inches in diameter, with narrow petals serrated at the apex, and 

 bright golden yellow in colour. The name Tiznaga, or Bisnaga, is considered 

 to be a corruption of Bisacuta, twice-pointed, or sharpened on both sides, in 

 reference to the spines. 



Fig. 8. — Flower of E. Yisnaga, 



