Hemispherical or with depressed vertex, 7.5 to 12.5 cm. in
diameter, with a broad top-shaped base: tubercles compressed, 14
to 18 mm. long: radial spines 5 to 9 (usually about 6), stout
and strongly subulate, 6 to 10 mm. long, straight or somewhat
curved, whitish or yellowish, the lower mostly a little longer,
the upper one sometimes wanting; central spine shorter and stout,
darker, straight, and porrect, turned upwards among the radials,
or rarely wanting: flowers 2.5 to 3 cm. long, reddish-white:
fruit incurved, 2 to 3 cm. long. (Ill. Cact. Mex. Bound. t.
9, figs. 1-3). Type specimens are those of the collections of
1847, 1851, 1852, and 1853, from which the original description
was drawn and all of which are in Herb. Mo. Bot. Gard.
From the Guadalupe River, Texas, to the "Great Bend" of the Rio
Grande, westward through western Texas and New Mexico; also
northern Mexico (Hemsley); Fl. May, June.
Specimens examined: Texas (Wright of 1851, 1852; Bigelow of
1853): New Mexico ("Missouri Volunteers" of 1847; unknown
collector in 1880); also specimens cultivated in St. Louis in
1853, and others growing in Mo. Bot. Gard. 1893.
Dr. Engelmann regarded this species as possibly only a variety
of C. heyderi, to which it is certainly very closely allied
through var. hemisphaerica, but the different tubercles and
fewer stouter spines serve so well to distinguish it that it
seems best to retain its specific rank.
In reference to the citation of the original description an
explanation seems necessary, which will apply to numerous similar
cases. The Pacif. R. Rep. iv. 27 (1856), Syn. Cact. 263
(1858), and Cact. Mex. Bound. 9 (1859), have each been cited
as the original publication. The confusion has arisen from the
fact that in both the publications of 1856 the description in the
Rep. Mex. Bound. is referred to, and in that report the plant
is fully described as "sp. nov." However, the publication of
the Boundary Report was long delayed on account of the
preparation of the plates, and in the meantime both the
publications of 1856 had appeared, in each one of which the
species is distinctly characterized and reference made to the
description in the forthcoming Boundary Report. As between the
two publications of 1856 the Syn. Cact. (Proc. Amer. Acad.
iii. 259) was evidently distributed first.
8.Cactus gummiferus (Engelm.) Kuntze. Rev. Gen. Pl. 260
(1891).
Mamillaria gummifera Engelm. Wisliz. Rep. 21 (1848).
Hemispherical, 7.5 to 12.5 cm. broad and 6 to 10 cm. high:
tubercles 12 to 15 mm. long: radial spines 10 to 12, the lower
stout, with dusky apex, 12 to 15 mm. long, twice or thrice as
long as the whitish setaceous upper ones; central spine
(sometimes two) shorter (about 4 mm.), stout, dusky and porrect:
flowers 3 cm. long, reddish-white, brownish-red outside: fruit
unknown. (Ill. Cact. Mex. Bound. t. 9. figs. 18-20) Type
probably lost, as no specimens could be found in the Engelmann
Herbarium.
Chihuahua, near Cosihuiriachi.
So far as can be discovered, this species has not been collected
since the original Wislizenus collection of 1846-47. The plants
were cultivated by Dr. Engelmann and made to bloom, showing the
flowers to be larger and darker colored than in the rest of the
group, from which the species also differs in its more robust
habit, its very unequal radial spines, and the occasional
occurrence of two centrals.
** Central spine hooked.
9.Cactus uncinatus (Zucc) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 261 (1591).
Mamillaria uncinata Zucc. in Pfeiff. Enum. 34 (1837).
Mamillaria bihamata Pfeiff. in Otto and Deitr. Gart. vi. 274 (1840)
Mamillaria adunca Scheidw. (1845-1849?).
Mamillaria depressa Scheidw. (1845-1849?).
Usually globose (occasionally depressed or even subcolumnar), 5
to 6 cm. in diameter (doubtless becoming larger): tubercles 8
to 10 mm. long, woolly in the upper axils: radial spines 4 to
6, rigid, 4 to 6 mm. long, the upper one stouter than the rest
and sometimes shorter, reddish-brown and horny, straight or
slightly curved, the remainder straight and white with dusky
tips; central spine stout and horny, reddish-brown, 7 to 10 mm.
long: flowers greenish-white or tinged with red: fruit unknown
Type unknown.
Entirely Mexican, reported from Chihuahua to Saint Luis Potosi.
Specimens examined: San Luis Potosi (Gregg of 1848; Parry 268;
Eschanzier of 1891): Chihuahua (Wislizenus of 1846-47; also
Chihuahua specimens cultivated in the Jacoby Garden in 1856 and
1857).
The variations observed in this species do not seem sufficient
for the establishment of varieties. The type form seems to have
been globose, with 4 radial spines and a stout central one. The
depressed forms with 6 radials and a more slender central
represent var. spinosior Lem. (M. depressa Scheidw.); and the
subcolumnar forms with 6 radials (the upper one of which is
somewhat curved) and a stout strongly hooked central represent
var biuncinata Lem. (M. bihamata Pfeiff.) Such combinations of
characters, however, do not hold, as any one of the plant body
forms may display any one of the spine characters referred to.
B. Tubercles terete.
* Central spines none: mostly simple globose plants, with very
numerous straight whitish setaceous radials.
10. Cactus lasiacanthus (Engelm.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 259
(1891).
Mamillaria lasiacantha Engelm. Syn. Cact. 261 (1856).
Globose or ovate globose, 2 to 2.5 cm. high and 1 to 2 cm. broad:
tubercles 4 mm. long, about 2 mm. in diameter, with naked axils:
spines 40 to 60, in many series, very unequal, 2 to 4 mm, long,
white and pilose, the upper exterior usually longer than the
rest, the innermost usually much shorter: flowers 12 mm. long,
whitish or pinkish (petals with red median band): fruit 1 to 2
cm. long: seeds about 1 mm. long, blackish and conspicuously
pitted. (Ill. Cact. Mex. Bound. t. 3). Type, the specimens of
Wright in Herb. Mo. Bot. Gard.
From western Texas ("west of time Pecos, on low limestone hills,
among herbage") to Arizona and Chihuahua. Fl. April, May.
Specimens examined: Texas (Wright 121, also of 1852; Parry of
1852): Arizona (Miller of 1881): Chihuahua (Pringle 213,
250,258): also specimens cultivated in St. Louis in 1852 and
1855.