SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
March 24, 1921 
Mr. Alex Wetmore, 
U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C. 
My dear Mr. We tin ore : 
The two specimens which you recently sent 
me through the Department of Agriculture have 
just reached me. These plants came from ‘fhe 
Rio ITegro, collected I think in June 1920. The 
one with flat papery spines is a recent species 
of mine, Opuntia hickenii. The round plant with 
low ribs has been passing as Schinopsis leucantha. 
I suppose that you will not be down in this coun¬ 
try again, otherwise I should ask you to send me 
a living plant of it. I wish you would send me 
a few living plants of any of the small round va¬ 
rieties. I find that a number of them are still 
undescribed. 
Very truly 
Associate Curator 
Division of Plants 
