. Carnegie Institution of Washington publication. . FIGS. 265. 266.—Opuntia rubescens. FIG. 267.—Opuntia brasiliensis. Series 27. BRASILIENSES. This series represents one of the five subgenera described by Dr. Schumann, which he called Brasilia puntia. It perhaps should be recognized as a distinct genus. We recognize three species in the series, which may be races of a single one, characterized by an erect cylindric trunk with cylin- dric, horizontal branches terminating in a series of flattened, thin, leaf-like branches. The leaves are small and caducous. The spines are few on t
. Carnegie Institution of Washington publication. . FIGS. 265. 266.—Opuntia rubescens. FIG. 267.—Opuntia brasiliensis. Series 27. BRASILIENSES. This series represents one of the five subgenera described by Dr. Schumann, which he called Brasilia puntia. It perhaps should be recognized as a distinct genus. We recognize three species in the series, which may be races of a single one, characterized by an erect cylindric trunk with cylin- dric, horizontal branches terminating in a series of flattened, thin, leaf-like branches. The leaves are small and caducous. The spines are few on the young growth, but large clusters are developed on the old stem and trunk. The flowers are small, the fruit is juicy, and the seeds are large and covered with a dense mass of wool. Unlike most species of Opuntia, these grow in the moist tropical forests, forming tall, slender, tree-like plants. KEY TO SPECIES. 236. O. brasiliensis Fruit globular, yellow Fruit clavate to oblong, red. Fruit oblong, 3 to 4 cm. long 237. O. tahiensis Fruit clavate, 5 cm. long . 238. 0. argentina 236. Opuntia brasiliensis (Willdenow) Haworth, Suppl. PI. Succ. 79. 1819. Cactus brasiliensis Willdenow, Enum. PI. Suppl. 33. 1813. Cactus paradoxus Hornemann, Hort. Hafn. 2: 443. 1815. Cactus arboreus Vellozo, Fl. Flum. 207. 1825. Opuntia arborea Steudel, Nom. ed. 2. 2: 220. 1841. Cereiis paradoxns Steudel, Nom. ed. 2. i: 335. 1841. Becoming 4 meters high, with a cylindric woody trunk and a small rounded top; old trunk either naked or spiny; branches dimorphic, the lateral ones horizontal, terete; the terminal joints flat and leaf-like, many of these in time dropping off; flowers 5 to cm. long; petals yellow, oblong, obtuse; filaments very short; fruit yellow, globular, 3 to 4 cm. in diameter, with a low or nearly trun- cate umbilicus, bearing large areoles; seed usually one, very woolly, 10 mm. broad. Type locality: Near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Distribution: Southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina,
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