Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean: Vol. 4, Pt. 3

CACTACER.
brevihamatu8 Englm. from Eagle Pass, the seeds of which are as yet unknown. It is, however,
easily distinguished by 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. demum subcylindricus, costis 13-17 obtusis
tuberculatis interruptis; areolis orbiculatis 8. cum areoka florifera contigua minore ovatis,
junioribus fulvo-tomentosis; aculeis radialibus sub-19 compressis albis, summo deficiente,
superioribus latioribus longioribus apice adustis, lateralibus brevioribus, inferioribus brevissimis
subsetaceis; aculeis centralibus 2-3-formibus, summo singulo (rarius binis) compresso-quadrangulato elongato albo apice adusto sursum curvato, reliquis 5-10 teretiusculis s. subangulatis
purpureo-fuscis, 2 superioribus plerumque rectis (rarius uncinatis) ceteris omnibus arcete
uncinatis; fioribus in axillis summis solitariis; sepalis sub-25 orbiculato-ovatis abrupte acuminatis 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; areole 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 t-1, and lowest ~ inches long. -The upper central spine is
3-5 inches long and 1-3 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 31 inches long,) the others gradually shorten, the lowest not more than 14-1- 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 I 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 be very partially only, and incompletely developed in this species.
3. E. LE CONTEI, Engelm. in B. C. Rep.:' ingens ovatus s. ovato, cylindricus, costis 20-30
compresis sub-obtusis interruptus, areolis elengato-oblongis approximatis; aculeis radalibus
inferioribus superioribusque robustioribus 8-10 angulatis subannulatis plus minusve recurvatis
aculeis extimis lateralibus summisque 10-15 tenuioribus setaceis fiexuosis; aculeis centralibus
4 compressis carinatis annulatis 3 superioribus sursum inferiore deorsum curvatis; fioribus
plurimis subcentralibus, ovario squamis 30-40 reniformibus tecto, sepalis tubi oblongis 20-30,
petalis 25-30 angustis sulphureis, stylo ad medium in stigmata sub-14 linearia subacuta diviso;
bacca globosa sicca squamosa foris 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 Gila, where
also Dr. C. C. Parry saw it. Both took it for the New Mexican E. Wislizeni, to which, indeed,
it bears 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.
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