158 



THE FLORIST AND 



twelve feet high, and the tallest specimens observed appeared to reach the 

 elevation of forty-five or fifty feet. 



The ligneous fascicles correspond with the intervals between the ribs, and 

 not with the ribs themselves ; of which Dr. Parry has fully satisfied himself, 

 and which indeed is the case in all ribbed Cacti. From between these 

 bundles ligneous fibres radiate horizontally towards the ribs, and especially 

 to the areolae. 



At the base of the stem the ribs are broad and obtuse, with wide and 

 shallow intervals ; upwards the ribs are somewhat triangular, rounded or 

 obtuse, with deep and acutish grooves between them ; towards the top of the 

 plant the ribs are equally obtuse, but quite compressed, and the grooves are 

 deep and narrow. 



The elevated areolae are seven lines long, nearly six lines in diameter, 

 about an inch distant from one another, sometimes more closely approxi- 

 mated. 



Lowest and upper radial spines 6 to 12 lines long, sometimes the upper 

 ones with a few additional, shorter, flexuous, setaceous spines: lateral ones 

 12-18 lines long, the lower ones longest; the four lower central spines 

 straight or very slightly curved downwards, 20-30 lines long; the two upper 

 central spines 15 to 18 lines long. The stoutest spines are one line in 

 diameter, their bulbous base being fully twice as thick. The old spines 

 together with the whole areola readily cOme off in one bunch, but generally 

 the six central spines fall off first, leaving the radiating ones appressed to 

 the stem, till finally they also fall away. 



The flowers are produced near the summit of the plant, but not on it, and 

 the fruit is usually 6-12 inches from it. 



The dried flower communicated by Mr. Thurber is 3 inches long ; but the 

 drawing represents the flowers as fully 4 inches in length and diameter. 

 The ovary in the dried specimen is fths of an inch long ; the lower naked 

 part of the tube 1 inch, the upper staminiferous much widened part fths of 

 an inch long. Upper sepals fleshy, greenish white, fths of an inch long, 

 below 2, above 4 lines wide. Petals of a light cream color, an inch long, 

 6-7 lines wides above, very thick and fleshy, and very much curled. Fila- 

 ments light yellow, adnate to the upper half of the tube : anthers 0*8 to 0'9 

 of a line long, linear, emarginate at the base and apex. Style not seen: 

 the drawing represents the numerous (15-20 ?) stigmata as half an inch 

 long, suberect, of a green color. The flowers appear to be open night and 

 day, and probably for several days in succession. 



The fruit sent by Mr. Thurber (in alcohol) is obovate 2J inches long, by 



