2114: FLORA OF TEXAS. 



fruit 6" or less in thickness, crowned with the conic re- 

 mains of the flower; stamens very numerous (Mi'. Wright 

 counted 400), half as long as the petals ; stigmata green, 

 much exsert. — Dr. Engelma^m. 



C. DASYACANTHUS. Stems 5-12' high, 2-4' in diame- 

 ter, densely covered by the innumerable ashy-gray or red- 

 dish spines; lower lateral spines somewhat bulbous and 

 compressed at the base, 6"-7" long, upper ones 3"-4", and 

 lower ones 5" long; upper central spines shorter than the 

 lower ones — these are stoutest and of about the length of 

 the lower external spines, or a little longer ; flovwrs large 

 and numerous, from the upper axillae of the past year's 

 grow^th ; flowers 3' long, and of the same diameter, yery 

 showy, externally greenish yellow, with the center of the 

 sepals red ; jyetals bright yellow ; stamens (counted by Mr. 

 Wright, over 1700) with yellowish -green filaments; pistil 

 stout ; stigmata thick, erect ; flower opening only in bright 

 sunshine, about middle of the day, closing in the after- 

 noon, but reopening the next, or even the third day ; 

 fjniit subglobose, 1^-14-' in diameter, green or greenish 

 purple; w^hen fully ripe, "delicious to eat, mach like a 

 gooseberry." Western Texas. — Engehnann. 



C. C^SPITOSUS. This species has 12-18 ribs. 20-30 ra- 

 dial spines, rarely with 1 or 2 central ones here and there ; 

 floivers 2'-3' in diameter; petals sometimes though rarely 

 curly; stigmata 12-18; f?mit 9"-10" long, oval, generally 

 bursting irregularly; flowei^-twhe covered with darkish 

 wool and slender bristles. Western Texas. — Engelmann. 



C. DUBius. Stems 5'-8' high, pale green color and 

 soft flabby texture ; ribs few, broad; grooves shallow; ra- 

 dial spines 6"-12" or 15" long, lower ones longer than the 

 upper ones; floivers 2 J' long, of the same diameter; petals 

 few and only 6" wide, rose-color, and mostly quite obtuse 

 and almost entire; fruit V-1^' long, Avith 20-24 pulvilli, 



