, the central one much the longest, flattened
at the base, and strong as steel. The flowers are produced near the
centre of the top, from the tufts of whitish wool which accompany the
spines on the young parts of the ridges. They are 21/2 in. long and wide;
the tube short and woolly; the petals spreading, beautifully fringed,
and rose-coloured. Native of North-east Mexico, where it grows on stony
hillsides in full exposure to sunshine, and where, during winter, it has
to endure weather verging on to frost. It thrives in a greenhouse under
cultivation. Like several of the stout-spined, robust-stemmed kinds,
this may find favour as a garden plant because of the character of its
stem, and the extraordinary strength of its large iron-like spines.

[Illustration: FIG. 46.--ECHINOCACTUS TEXENSIS.]

E. turbiniformis (top-shaped).--A very distinct dwarf kind, with
globular stems 2 in. high and about 3 in. wide, clothed with
spirally-arranged rows or ridges of tubercles, similar to those shown in
the figure of E. hexaedrophorus, except that, in the former, there are
no spines on the mature tubercles, although, when young, they have each
a little cluster of fine spines. The flowers expand in June, several
together, from the top of the stem; they are round, 1 in. across, the
petals being numerous, pale yellow in colour, tinged with red on the
outside. Introduced from Mexico, 1840. This curious little plant
requires stove treatment, and thrives when grafted on the stem of some
other kind. It is sometimes known as Mamillaria turbinata.

E. uncinatus (hooked); Fig. 47.--A small species, with oval stems when
young, older plants becoming cylindrical, as shown in the accompanying
Figure. The height of the largest plant does not exceed 6 in., so that,
when wild, it is often hidden by the long grass in which it is
frequently found on stony hillsides at high elevations, in Mexico. The
ridges are broken up into large tubercles, upon each of which is a tuft
of short straight spines, arranged in a circle, and a long hooked one
springing from the centre, and often attaining a length of about 4 in. In
old plants the spines are almost white, whilst in young ones they are
purplish. The flowers are borne in a cluster on the apex of the stem,
and are nearly 2 in. long, the tube being short and spiny, and the petals
numerous, arranged in a cup, their colour dark purplish-red, the tips
pointed; the stamens are yellow, with orange tips. The flowers e