Schinocer eus caespitosus is some 3-4 inches tall and 
pointed cylindrical. The 3 pines are borne on vertical 
ridge 3 and densely cover the plant. The bright purple 
flower is quite large for so small a plant. It is II 
inches in diameter and as showy as an Cpuntia blossom. 
The fruit i3 dry and spiny. Technically the spines number. 
13-20 per tubercule and are all radial. Since there axe 
no central spines the plant i3 not prickly. The spines are 
short,white, and purple tipped. The fruit splits when 
ripe and the 3eeds are round and dark colored. 
iCchinocact us (Pedi ocactus) simo soni looks very sirailiar to 
MamilLaria vivipara. It is a high altitude species that 
bLooms very early in the spring with an abundance of pink 
blossoms - inch across. Technically this cactus is 
separated from :.'amiLLaria by lacking ;the groove on the 
tubercule and by having a spiny fruit. The flowers arise 
from a white wooly area on the tip. The fruit splits when 
ripe and the round black 3eed3 falL out. S P ino3 are more 
numerous than on fraraiilaria,not so stout, and purplish red. 
Echinocereus go'nacanthus is a rarer kind; larger than the 
r33t„ attaining 6 Inches in height by 2 inches in diameter. 
It has heavy straw colored spines. The blossom is bright 
red with very thick petals. Fruit and seed are unknown. 
There is mystery for you. How does this kind get ahead in 
the world without sec;d to start new plants? ie find that 
it does 3et seed occasionally. Technically the spines are 
borne on tubercules 3et in ridges 6-10 in number. There 
are 6 radial and one central spine. All spines are roughly 
four sided in contrast to the rest of the cacti which 
have round 3pine3. 
OPUNTIA 
• i 
AIL members of Opuntia are larger and branched. The blos¬ 
soms are Large and showy,most being 2-2-V inches in diameter 
lost of the fruits are large, all are heavily spined, and 
while some are dry, others are fleshy and quite edible. All 
Opuntias are hardier than other cacti, regardless of what ^ 
genus or where they grow. The pioneers of the cactus group 
are all Opuntias. 
