CACTACEJS. 
29 
brevihamatus Englm. from Eagle Pass, the seeds of which are as yet unknown. It is, however, 
easily distinguished hy the arrangement of the spines ; the eastern species has 11 terete radial 
spines all around, and 4 central ones, the uppermost one being smaller and narrower than the 
lower hooked one. 
2. E. polyancistrus, (sp. nov.) : ovatus s. demurn subcylindricus, costis 13-17 obtusis 
tuberculatis interruptis; areolis orbiculatis s. cum areola florifera contigua minore ovatis, 
junioribus fulvo-tomentosis; aculeis radialihus sub-19 compressis albis, summo deficiente, 
superioribus latiorihus longioribus apice adustis, lateralihus hrevioribus, inferioribus brevissimis 
subsetaceis ; aculeis centralibus 2-3-formibus, summo singulo (rarius binis) compresso-quad- 
rangulato elongato albo apice adusto sursum curvato, reliquis 5-10 teretiusculis s. subangulatis 
purpureo-fuscis, 2 superioribus plerumque rectis (rarius uncinatis) ceteris omnibus arcete 
uncinatis ; floribus in axillis summis solitariis ; sepalis sub-25 orbiculato-ovatis abrupte acumi- 
natis mucronatis ciliatis, petalis acuminatis aristatis, stigmatibus 9-10. (Plate I, fig. 1-2.) 
On gravelly hills and sandy plains at the headwaters of the Mojave, on the eastern slope of 
the California Cordilleras, one day’s journey before reaching the Cajon Pass. This elegant and 
striking species was collected March 15, 1854, with young flower buds. The plant is 4-10 
inches high and 3-4 in diameter ; areolae 4 lines in diameter and (from center to center) 7-9 
lines distant from one another ; the younger ones covered with a reddish-yellow wool. The 4 
upper radial spines 1-2, lateral ones §—1, and lowest \ inches long. The upper central spine is 
3-5 inches long and |-f line wide ; sometimes a second similar, but smaller, one is seen above 
or beside it. All the other central spines are bright purple-brown, the upper ones longer, (2-3 
or even 3^ inches long,) the others gradually shorten, the lowest not more than 1|— If inches 
long ; the two uppermost brown spines are often straight, but sometimes, like all the lower 
ones, sharply hooked, the hooks being turned in different directions ; the convexity of the hook 
is of a paler color. In the young or smallest specimens we find only 5 brown spines, all hooked, 
one in the centre of the others; in others 5 to 7 or 8 brown hooked spines are counted, one 
central to the others, or all in a semi-circle, the upper part of the central circle always closed 
by the broad white spine. 
The flower buds were just forming in the axils of the half-grown spines ; those glandular 
organs which divide the floriferous from the spiniferous areolae in E. Setispinus, and other 
species, seem to he very partially only, and incompletely developed in this species. 
3. E. Le Contei, Engelm. in B. C. Bep. : ingens ovatus s. ovato, cylindricus, costis 20-30 
compresis sub-obtusis interruptus, areolis elengato-oblongis approximate; aculeis radalibus 
inferioribus superioribusque robustioribus 8-10 angulatis subannulatis plus minusve recurvatis ; 
aculeis extimis lateralibus summisque 10-15 tenuioribus setaceis flexuosis ; aculeis centralibus 
4 compressis carinatis annulatis 3 superioribus sursum inferiore deorsum curvatis ; floribus 
plurimis subcentralibus, ovario squamis 30-40 reniformibus tecto, sepalis tubi oblongis 20-30, 
petalis 25-30 angustis sulpliureis, stylo ad medium in stigmata sub-14 linearia subacuta diviso 
bacca globosa sicca squamosa floris rudimentis coronata, seminibus oblique obovatis compresis 
sublucidis minutissime scrobiculatis.—(Plate 1, figs. 3-5.) 
This gigantic species was first noticed by Dr. John L. Le Conte, on the lower Grila, where 
also Dr. C. C. Parry saw it. Both took it for the New Mexican E. Wislizeni. to which, indeed, 
it hears a great resemblance in habit as well as in botanical characters, but the seed that I 
received from the first-named gentleman at once satisfied me that I had a distinct species before 
me. Subsequently Dr Bigelow met with this remarkable plant, abundantly, from the Cactus 
Pass, at the head waters of Williams’ river, down this stream to the Colorado, and west of it 
till E. Polycephalus took its place.—(Englemann.) It grows on rocky or gravelly plains and 
ravines, and often in crevices of perpendicular rocks, to the height sometimes of 5 feet by 2 feet 
diameter. The ribs are somewhat interrupted by a transverse incision between the areolae. 
