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Show [ 7] 158 }a.t, but forming 'low wide sprC(Hling hu , hcs.'" Joints rnore slcnd ·r, only about 4 or 5 line. in diamelt·r, alternating (not opposite nor rticillate,) forming with th' :tcm an acute angle, !5ubcrect, tubercles more prominent, ;1•rola• whitish at thcll' low r e<lge, with 3 dnsky deflexcd spine~; fruit clavate, tubcrculatc, pale y 1- low, 1 inch long, 4 lines in diametrr. l belie\ e this to 1H• an undescribed spcci s, and would propose th • name for it of 0. Californi<.:a. 12. Opunl'ia. "October lOth, 1 4.6, abundant," 3 feet high, with sprcatling branrhc:, th · same in cireumfcrcn<.:c. 1 · an see n o < l i {f e r en c c bet w r 'n t h is fi g u r c and a p 1 ant which 1 have received from It~\ Passo, by Dr. Wi.ltzcnu , antl which I have d scribed in his report under the name of 0 vaginata. o . 13-15 arc no ce1cti. In 1:3 I n•cogni. e the J(wbeTlinia -:'l.tccarw'l, a ]nub eommon in the chnparals of northern Mexico, which hCls been collccte<l in flow ·r about I>arra. antl altillo, by Drs. Wi. lizcnus and Or •gg. The fruit is unknown so far; the specimen figured is however in fruit; the berry ( 'l) is globo:c, ~-1 line in diameter, crown 'cl with the rudim ' Ill of the style. It was eollcctctl 0 · tobrr 2:3d, 1 1G, and is d c cribcd as a ~hru b 3 f ·el high, w i l h. 1 o w s p r a d i n ~ b'O ugh s . 14.. Collected "November 15, 18t1G. 4. fed bigh, rare," i p r-haps another spceies of the same g •nus, but the enti1c abscne of Jlov,rcr or fruit make it impos, i:bl' to dccid<•. Branchl'S similar, ~tra. ight, lcafles. , ending in robust dark . pine . ; but much elongated and sub-cr •ct, not horizontal, a in o. 13. 15 . "O<:tobn 22d. Vt•ry abundant, 3 feet high, fruit 5 incltc lon~." I L is <'ntir ·ly unl<1l0Wll to roc, p •rhaps an aga c! at least somr amaryllidac<'OUS plant, if th fruit is correctly rcprc ntcd, with lar~c radical leaves, and a ribbed or angular inferior fruit crown ·tl with th · remain of the flow •r. ln your letter you figllr · an<l drscribc a cactus plant, of which you have bcf'or' scnl me lh seeds, if I am co·rrl'ct about this from your notes, l would describe it in th ·following manner: tem tall, cr ·d, simple, or with a few er Gt brancltes, hrlow without spin~s; ribs about 20, oblicpt<' or. piral· fruit ]arg ·, <'dible; seeds ·mall (0.7 lines long,) obovat , obliqu 'ty trun<.:ate al base, b 1 a c· k , s tn o o t h , s h i 11 i n g, c m b r y o h o o l c d , n o a l b um e n · c o l ) I c d on s f o 1i a . l ' <.: c o u ~ 1 n c u m H' n t. Stems 2-5 fed in circumfercnc<·, and 25 to 60 fe •t high. The only trtH' cercus approaching this :n size is cereus ]>cruvianus; hut this i · vaHt1y difT{'r 'nl. The que ·tion then arisPS whether our ~pecics is not one of th few arrancrcd now under the genus jJilocercns· .but if it is a constant fad tha.tthc cotyledons of piloce?·eus arc tlnck ancl globo e, our f'pecies rannot belong here; the cot) ledons arc absolutely those of a true ccrc·us. Tt i~ call •cl in California ]Jitahn.yn., but it app ars th<1t the Mexicans call by thal name all large columnar cacti, the fruit of which is cc1iblc. 'l'he plant whil'h is commonly called cercus var·iabilis, is widely differ-ent f1om this alifornia giant. 1 propof;c for it the name cereus gigantens. ' |