ECHINOPSIS (from echinos, hedgehog, and opsis, like; referring to the spines which clothe its globose stem). ORD. Cacteoe. A small genus of stove Cacti, now generally placed as a section of Cereus. Calyx tube elongate, downy; lobes numerous; stamens in two series; the exterior adnate to the calyx tube; inner free. Fruit scaly. Stem depressed, ribbed, globose, or cylindrical. There are about two dozen species in cultivation, many very rare, and of which the following selection will be found a representative one. For culture, see Cactus. ECHINOPSIS campylacantha (curved-spined). fl. about 6in. long, from the areolae near the centre of the plant; calyx tube funnel-shaped, olive-green; segments of the limb gradually passing into the spreading, acute, pale rose-coloured petals. Plant about 1ft. high, between ovate and globose; areolae approximate, large, oval, woolly, bearing from eight to ten rather slender spines. Andes, 1851. A handsome and well-marked species. (B. M. 4567.) ECHINOPSIS cristata (crested). This plant closely corresponds with the variety described below, but has a larger and different-coloured flower; the petals are broader in porportion to their length, a creamy-white gradually passing into the greenish-purple of the outer sepals; the spines in the present form are more slender, less curved, of a paler colour, but tipped with a darker brown. It flowers in July. Bolivia, 1846. (B. M. 4687.) ECHINOPSIS cristata purpurea (purple). fl. very large, two to four from a plant, arising from near the summit and from one of the pulvilli, funnel-shaped; tube 6in. long, green, bearing numerous acuminated scales, fringed with rather copious woolly black hair; uppermost scales longer, gradually passing into sepals; petals rose-coloured, numerous, oblong, spreading, serrated and mucronate at point. July. Plant globose, but depressed and rather deeply umbilicated at top, full green (not glaucous), somewhat glossy, deeply furrowed. Ribs about seventeen or eighteen, nearly straight, much compressed, notched at nearly equal intervals, and thus divided into a number of very obtuse rounded lobes. Pulvinuli in the notches, from which also rise ten to twelve strong, large, slightly-curved unequal spines, the upper-most one the longest and strongest. h. 1ft. Bolivia, 1844. A very handsome plant, remarkable for the large size of its flowers and for the deeply-lobed ribs of the stem. (B. M. 452.) ECHINOPSIS Decaisneanus (Decaisne's). fl. white. Summer. Stem globular when young, sub-columnar when old, light glaucous green, with about fourteen compressed acute ribs; areolae crowded, with white tomentum; spines short, greyish; interior ones very small. h. 6in. to 15in. Native country unknown. ECHINOPSIS Eyriesii (Eyries'). fl. large, in proportion to the size of the plant, deliciously fragrant, breaking forth from one of the angles, ascending; tube 9in. long, funnel-shaped, greyish-green, woolly, and marked with numerous tufts of oblong brown hairs; within green; petals numerous, lanceolate, very acuminate, white, patent, often reflexed; stamens numerous, rising a little above the tube of the flower, most numerous on one side; anthers yellow. January. Plant sub-globose, depressed, and even umbilicated at the top, about as large as a middling-sized orange, marked with several-twelve to fourteen--sharp and prominent angles, upon which are several white, rounded, woolly tubercles, mixed with several short, and not very conspicuous, spines. Mexico, 1835. (B. M.3411, under name of Echinocactus Eyriesii.) ECHINOPSIS Eyriesii flore-pleno (double-flowered). A form with several rows of petals, which impart a double appearance to the flowers. See Fig. 26 ECHINOPSIS Eyriesii glaucus (glaucous). fl. sweet-scented. July. This plant is very similar to the type, from which it differs in having the angles much more acute and less wavy; the spines longer, more slender, and rather browner, and the tube of the flower is shorter, green, and free from the long, coarse, ash-coloured shagginess which distinguishes the original species. Native country unknown. (B. R. 1831, under name of Echinocactus Eyriesii glaucus. ECHINOPSIS formosa (beautiful). Stem sub-globular or elongated, pale green. Ribs obtuse, vertical, rounded, about sixteen in number; areolae distant, oval, greyish, rather woolly; spines needle-like, rigid; two to four interior ones long, brown; eight to sixteen exterior fawn-coloured or whitish. h. 1ft. Mendoza. ECHINOPSIS multiplex (multiplied). fl. 6in. to 8in. long, and almost as much across when fully expanded; tube long, clavate, thickly clothed at the base with short tufts of dense white hairs, while the rest of the tube is beset with longer and dark-coloured ones; petals numerous; outer ones narrow-lanceolate, gradually becoming shorter and broader, so that the innermost ones are almost ovate and acuminate, all of a delicate rose-colour, deeper towards the apex; anthers yellow, rounded. Plant marked with about thirteen deep furrows and as many ridges, which are prominent, acute, somewhat sinuated at the keel, and there beset with thickly downy oval areolae; spines ten to twelve, the central one longer and stronger than the rest, especially in the upper areolae, where they are represented of a uniform deep tawny colour, while those on the sides are more regular in size, and variegated with dark brown and white. h. 6in. South Brazil (according to Pfeiffer). A very desirable plant, on account of the delicacy and richness of colour of the petals. SYN. Cereus multiplex. (B. M. 3789.) ECHINOPSIS oxygonus (sharp-angled). fl. proceeding from the furrows about the foot of the stem, nearly 1ft. long, reversed cone-shaped; tube somewhat curved, externally covered with bracts; the lower are small red, increasing in size, and at last terminating in the petals, which are broad, lance-shaped, and of a rose-colour. Plant nearly of a globular form, of a bluish-green colour. Ribs fourteen, rising from a broad base, and running into an acute edge; the furrows are somewhat sharp spines, about fourteen, of various sizes, the outer generally larger, the inner smaller, all of a brown colour, cone-like, not flat, the younger surrounded by a tomentum which is more or less wanting in the older. Brazil. (B. R. 1711, under name of Echinocactus oxygonus.) ECHINOPSIS Pentlandi (Pentland's). fl. bright rose-carmine. Summer. Plant globular or sub-globular, with twelve or thirteen (rarely with a larger number) acute, spiral, notched ribs, rather glaucous-green; areolae more or less crowded, woolly, furnished with generally nearly equal spines. Peru, 1843. ECHINOPSIS Pentlandi longispinus (long-spined). fl. crimson. Stem subglobular; spines very long, dark brown. ECHINOPSIS Pentlandi Scheerii (Scheer's). fl., petals yellow below, bright rose above. Stem nearly globular; spines long.