prhl nocereus caespitosu s is some 3-4 inches tali and’ 
pointed cylindrical- The spines are borne on vertical 
ridges and densely cover the plant. The bright purple 
f Lower is quite large for so small a plant-. It is 1-p- . * \ 
inches in diameter and as showy as an Opuntia blossom 
The fruit is dry and spiny. Technically the spines number 
13-20 per tubercule and are all radial. Since there is' 
no central spine the plant is not prickly. The spines are 
short, white, and purple tipped- The fruit splits when; 
rme and the seeds are round and dark colored. . . 
i 
Eebljco cactus (p edio cactus) sp.mrsoni looks very similar to 
Mamillaria vivipara. This is a new species that we are- * * 
adding to our list this year. , It in a high altitude 
pecies that blooms very early irr the spring with an abu-i- 
D 
dance of pink blossoms y inch across.. Technically this v 
cactus is separated from Maud 11 a-'ia by lacking the groove 
the tubercule and by having a spiny fruit. The flowers 
arise from a white wooiy area on the tm- Tie fruit •- 
splits when ripe and the round b.*-ack seeds fail out. 
trines are mere numerous than on Kami11aria, not so stoht, 
and purplish ref 
i 
' u*. * 
Kchinocereus gona c?nt• us is a new species wo are adding to- 
our list this season. It is a rarer kind., larger than the 
rest; attaining 6 inches in height by 2-}- inches in diameter 
It has heavy straw colored spines. The biossom is bright- 
red with very thick petals. Fruit and seed are unknown* 
There is mystery for yau- How does this kind get ahead in 
the world without seed to start new.plants? Technically 
the spines are borne on tudmrcuLes set in ridges 8-10 in 
number. There are 6 radial and one central spine. Ail 
spines are roughly four sided In contrast to the rest of 
the cacti which have round spines. 
OPUNTIA 
Ail members of Opuntia are larger and branched. The blos¬ 
soms are large and showy, most being 2-2-g- inches in diameter 
Most of the fruits are large, ail are heavily spined, and 
Willie some are dry, others are fleshy and quite edible. Ail 
Opuntias are hardier than other cacti, regardless of what 
genus or where they grow. The pioneers of the cactus group 
