91 [ 26 ] 
bgse, while most other Gerania have them united for about two-thirds or 
more of their length. 
In the pfairies about Wolf creek /in an elevation of between *6,000 and 
7,000 feet, the smallest of a tribe of cactacem was discovered, numerous 
species of which were found in the course of the journey south and south¬ 
east: several others have also been discovered in Texas. I mean those 
dwarfish Cerei, some of which have been described with the South Ameri¬ 
can genus Echinopsis, or have been referred alternately to Cereus or Echi- 
nocactus, and which I propose to distinguish from all these under the name 
of Echinocereus,' 1 indicating their intermediate position between Cereus 
and Echinocactus: they approach more closely to Cereus, in which, genus 
they ; as well as the genus Echinopsis, should perhaps be included as sub- 
genera. 
The species mentioned above is distinguished from all others known to 
me by its yellowish green flowers, the others having crimson or purple 
flowers. I have named it; therefore; Echinocereus viridiflorus . 8 
A careful examination of the seeds of numerous cactaceae, has indicated 
to me two principal divisions in that family: 1. Cotyledons, more or less 
distincf, directed with their edges to the edge, (or towards the umbilicus,) 
and with their faces to the flattened side of the seed; when curved, accum- 
bent. 2. Cotyledons, mostly very distinct, foliaceous, directfwith their 
edges to the faces, and with their faces to the edges of the seed, (or towards 
the umbilicus;) when curved, incumbent, and often circular or spiral. 
The first class comprises Mummillaria, with a straight imflryo; and 
if . 7 Echinocereus, n. gen. Perigonii tubus ultra germen productus, abbre- 
jjl viatus. Sepala exteriora s. tubi subulata, in axillis tomentosis setas s. acu- 
1 legs gerentes. Sepala interiora subpetaloidea et petala longiora pluriserialia 
p coroliam breviter infundibuliformem s. sub-campanulatam aemulantia. 
Stamina numerCsissima tubo adnata, limbo breviora s. earn subaequantia. 
Stylus stamina vix superans. Stigma multiradiatum., Bacca pulvilligera 
setosa s. aculeata, perigonio coronata. Seminum testa dura tubercuiata 
nigra. Embryo vix curvatus cotyledonibus brevibus contrariis. 
Globose, or mostly ovate; simple, or mostly branching from the base or 
cespitose; tubercles/forming few or mostly a great many ribs; bunches of 
short or long" spines, distant or approximate, often very crowded; vertex 
' never woolly; flowers lateral, produced from last year’s growth, open- 
ing only in sunshine, but for two or three days in succession; closed at* 
night, dl* in dark weather. 
* Echinocereus viridiflorus, n. sp. ovato-globjfsus, humilis, sub-13-costa- 
I tus; areolis lanceolatis, approximatis, junioribus villosis; aculeis 16-18 rec» 
fe tis, radiantibus, lateralibus longiorihus fuscis;reliquis albidis, centrali nullo • 
k s. elongato rgbusto, apice fusco; floribus lateralibus; tubo pulvillis 25-30 
P albo-tomentosis setas albas 5-10 gerentibus stipato; sepalis interioribus 
H lineari-oblongis sub-10; petalis 12-15 lineari-oblongis, obtusis; baccis ellip- 
| f ticis virescentibus, seminibus parvis tuberculatis. 
^ Prairies on Wolf creek, flowers in June; Santa Fe^flowers in May, 
(Fendler.) Body 1 to inch high, oval; spines 1 or to 3 lines long; 
R central spine when present 6 to 7 lines long; flower 1 inch long and wide, 
E: outside green brown, inside ^yellowish green; petals only 2 lines wide, be- 
I ing about 5 lines long. 
i 
