Engelmann, George Nov. 1852 article draft [2] (seq. 549)

2.
bacca obovata squamis sepaloideis triangularibus camosis minutis
ad axillam fulvo-lanatis stipata, pericarpio duriuscula carnoso,
demun valvis 3-4 patentibus reflexisve dehiscente; seminibus numerosissimis
in pulpa saccharina nidulantibus oblique obovatis laevibus lucidis
ex albuminosis; embryone cotyledonibus foliaceis incumbentibus
hamato.

This species ranges from north of the Gila river southwardly into
Sonora, to within 20 miles of Guaymas on the California Gulf. It
doubtless also occurs in the Peninsula of California where according to Vanegas
who in his history, published about 100 years ago, states that the
fruit
of a great Cactus forms an important article of food to the natives of the eastern
coast
and that the harvest time was a season of great festivity. —
The flowers are prodused in Ma and June, and the fruit ripens
in July and August. Mr Thurber collected the last flowers and
the first ripe fruit in the first days beginning of July. He has collected
abundance
of seed and will be pleased to communicate it to those who take and interest in the
cultivation of Cacti.

The youngest plants Mr Thurber noticed were 3 or 4 feet high
with narrow furrows and long spines; the smallest flowering plants were
about 12 feet high and the tallest specimens observed appeared to
reach the elevation 45 or 50 feet.

The ligneous fascicles correspond with the intervals between the ribs
and not with the ribs themselves, of which as Dr Parry has fully satisfied
himself and which indeed is the case in all ribbed Cacti. From
between these bundles ligneous fibres radiate horizontally towards the
ribs and especially to the areolae.

At the base of the stem the ribs are broad and obtuse with wide broad and
shallow intervals; upwards the ribs are somewhat triangular,
rounded or obtuse with deep acutish grooves between them; towards
the top of the plant the ribs are equally obtuse but quite compressed and
the grooves deep and narrow.

The elevated areolae are 17 ines long, nearly 6 in diameter, about
an 1 inch distant from one another, sometimes more nearly closely aproximated.

Lowest and upper radial spines 6-12 lines long, sometimes
the upper ones with a few additional shorter flexuous setaceous spines;
lateral ones 12-18 l. long, the lower ones longest; the 4 lower central
spines decussate straight or very slightly curved downwards 20-30
lines long; the 2 upper central spines 15-18 lines long. The stoutest