PARADE OF THE DESERT FLOWERS 83 



spreading and lying close to the stem. The stems are a 

 medium deep green. The radials are of a white cast toning 

 into brown at the tips, the stout centrals dark brown and 

 curving upwards. All the thorns have swollen bases and are 

 more or less variable in color. The flowers are of deep 

 purple and about three inches broad and long. There are 

 as many as twenty petals and fourteen sepals varying from 

 rose-pink to purple shades. The petals are spatulate and 

 somewhat broad, the margins finely toothed. The stamens 

 are rather short, and the anthers are yellow, while the fila- 

 ments are of a light pink, toning off to green. The flowers 

 open in the forenoon and close in the afternoon for several 

 days in succession. The fruit Is not large, no larger than 

 a very small egg, and matures In May, when the colorings 

 range from pink to red or yellow. When fully ripe the little 

 spine clusters are easily rubbed off, so that It Is not hard for 

 natives to handle the fruit. 



How to grow 



Larger plants are not Injured by zero temperatures; In 

 colder winter weather plants require some protection or may 

 be grown in cool, sunny glass houses. They may be trans- 

 planted at any season in gravelly or loamy soil Irrigated 

 enough to retain moisture during the growing season. 

 Young plants grow easily from seed sown in flats or pots in 

 sandy or loamy soil with some shade and with enough water 

 to keep the soil moist. 



Rainbow Cactus; Cabecita de' .Viejo 



(Echinocereus rigidissimus) 

 (Named rigidissimus from the stiff spines) 



How to identify and how it grows 



The rigidissimus, or Rainbow Cactus, another of the cylln- 

 drically formed cacti, is easily Identified by the noticeably stiff 



