^&V 44 
Var. a. rufispina, E. & B.: artieulis orbiculatis ; aculeis interiori- 
bus 3-5 validis fuscis; bacca ovata. 
Var. £. platycarpa, E.: artieulis obovato-orbiculatis; aculeis in- 
terioribus subsingulis validis fuscis; bacca depresso-globosa late um- 
bilicata. 
Yar. y. microsperma, E. : artieulis aculeisque prsecedentis; bacca 
ovata breviter aculeolata; seminibus minoribus anguste marginatis. 
Var. 8. subinermis, E.: artieulis elongato-obovatis, pulvillis £ub- 
remotis inferioribus inermibus, superioribus aculeos paucos breves 
gerentibus. 
Var. e. albispina, E. & B. : artieulis late obovatis ; aculeis 6-12 
omnibus albis gracilioribus ; bacca ovata. 
Var. C trichophora, E. & B.: artieulis ovatis; pulvillis confertis 5 
aculeis 10-18 setiformibus (in artieulis vetustis numerosioribus) capil- 
laceis flexuosis ; bacca ovata ; seminibus maximis. 
From the Upper Missouri to the Canadian; principally occupying 
the western plains, but also on the mountains towards Santa Fe and 
west of it. — The last-mentioned variety (which I would consider 
a distinct species, were it not for the var. albispina , which seems to 
unite it with the others.) has been found only on the mountains near 
Albuquerque : all the other forms occur on the Upper Missouri, and 
a. and e. also on the Canadian. Other and intermediate forms of this 
variable but nevertheless well-characterized species will no doubt be 
found in the wide territory inhabited by it. It flowers in May and 
June. — Joints 2 - 4, rarely 4-6 inches long, and 2 - 3J inches wide, 
light green ; leaves 1 J --2 lines long; larger spines 1 - 1 J, rarely 2 
inches long, in 8. not more than 3-6 lines long. Flowers 2-3 
inches in diameter, with short green stigmata forming a compact 
head. Fruit 1 - 1£ inches long, with shorter or longer spines, and a 
rather shallow umbilicus. Var. £. has a remarkably large flat fruit. 
Seed generally about 3 lines, but in y. only 2 lines, in diameter. 
24. O. sPHiEROCARPA, E. & B. 1. c. : diffusa; artieulis orbiculatis 
tuberculatis ; pulvillis confertis stramineo-setosis plerisque inermibus, 
summis solum aculeos 1-2 deflexos patulosve majores gerentibus, 
adjectis ssepe 1-3 brevioribus ; bacca globosa vix aculeolata ; semi¬ 
nibus mediis. 
Mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Joints 3 inches in 
diameter, strongly tuberculated; pulvilli 4 or 5 lines apart; spines 
6 - 12 lines long, reddish-brown, often single or 2 or 3 together, with 
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Missouri 
Botanical 
cm copyright reserved g a r d e n 
