Engelmann, George Feb. 6, [1845] [6] (seq. 140)

8. Echinocactus? gyracanthus n.sp. [do you know a better name to express
the transversely
striate or annulated spines?] hemisphaerico-depressus, vertice tomentoso, costis
21 verticalibus, acutis, subundulatis; aculeis e cicatrice ovato-lanceolata
tomentosa ortis, fasciculatis, compressis, stransversium striatis, e cinereo-
rubellis, 6-7 exterioribus inaequalibus, subrectis, centralimulto longiore,
recurvo; floribus?

On deserted ant hills near the Colorado river, "often a foot in diameter"
Our specimens are 8 or 9 inches in diameter and 4 or 5 inches in diameter and 4 or 5
inches high,
none of them in flower or fruit, nor find we any notice of flower or
fruit in Mr Lindheimer's letters. — Evidently near E. viridescens Nutt from
California, with which it has the transversely striate or annulate spines in
common; also near E. cornigerus DC or E. platyacanthus Link &
Otto, who
say nothing however of the annulated spines, nor do they indicate it in their
figure. The shape of our species however is diferent from any other, we

[faded stamp:] St LOUIS
FEB 6
MO.

25
Single 25

Prof Asa Gray
Cambridge
Mass.

find described; it is only half as high as broad, and resembles in that respect
Melocactus placenti-
formis Lehm. — If really all other Echinocacti have smooth spines, our species
and Nuttall's E.
viridescens are easily distinguished from them by their annulated ones. From
this last named species
ours may be known by its depressed shape (E. viridescens being higher
than broad around
to Torrey & Gray Flora) and by its recurved spines, of which the shorter ones
measure
10 to 15 lines and the longer ones as much as two inches. Some of the older spines
we find covered with lichens.

Cereus ? caespitosus n.sp. caespitosus, ovato-globosus, apice depresso-
umbi-
-licatus, costis sub-15 e tuberculis concretis ortis, rectis; aculeis (sub-24)
brevibus, flavescentibus, e cicatrive lanceolata ortis radiatis, recurvulis,
lateralibus
longioribus.

Gravelly soil near Catspring, west of San Felip. A singular plant, &