? 



- Poselger 7.16.1855 



I did not find the M, nacroneris t . which to ne is just as remarkable», 

 as that Dr. Wislicenus did not find Ech , SjTheerii , as this is very com- - 

 mon on the Rio Grande below Laredo. . - When you State ( verbatiri: '♦pernit 1 ' 

 E»D#), that continued growth of the areoles (as you call it) is restric- 

 ted to Ommtia and Echinopsls , this is incorrect». This happens at times 

 also with several Echinocacti and Ce^ei (however, not in the same year),, 

 in that they form at the tip of the old areoles new spines. Thus, I have 

 a Cer . Chilersls , at least 15 years old, which by now is at least 3 f tall. 

 On this 1 have observed already several times, thai^new spines are added : to 

 the old ones on. almost all areoles all the way down to the base (pnobably 

 if the weather o^ the year is favorable).- You also can not ciain validity 

 for the difference in the arrangeraent of the stamens between Cereus and 

 the larger Echinopsae. , or you would have to exclude C grandif lorus f C, 

 nyetlcalfus and many others fron the Cerei ,as with then the arrangeraent of 

 the stamens is exactly as with E/ c h i n o p s i s ' « £yg y q c i i> and Zucrargni 1 ». 



I can not def initely State, that the flower of ..Ech. enn.eacan.thus 

 Ensr.is really terminal, but the flower of the stränge C. tube-rosus is 

 trultj entirely terminal; I just had je*** now oceasiomto a^rain convince 

 myself with certainty, , as one o^ ray seedlings plants developed a large 

 bud • When you assuned. in ny discussion of varieties, that I refer only 

 to such varieties, which develop through influence of climate and soll 

 conditions, the reason for this is, that I did not express myself cleor - 

 ly enougW> I did. not want to indicate in the remotest way, that I an of 

 the opinion, that the types of people de^ented fron a Single pair. For 

 the problen itself, it seens to ne rather irrelevant, if one wants to 

 assume, that e.g. the many varieties of Setispinus carae fron one mother- 



plant or fron several species, independently originated # - 



The bastard question is the most difficult 4 one of all.. Can you prove bey- 

 ond doubti that your Verbenae are truly bastards or only seed varieties ? 



