om more than
5 in. in diameter, depressed on the top, with from ten to fourteen
strong, sharp-edged, wavy ribs, the furrows also being wavy. Spine tufts
set in little depressions along the margins of the ribs, five spines in
each tuft, the two upper 1 in. long and four-angled, the two lower
flattened and shorter, the fifth, which is the longest, being placed in
the top of the cushion. Flowers 2 in. across, daisy-like, produced in
April and May; tube very short; sepals and petals linear, spreading,
white, with a purple stripe down the centre; stamens red, with yellow
anthers; pistil purple, with an eight-rayed, yellow stigma. A native of
Mexico. (Syn. E. interruptus.)

[Illustration: FIG. 30.--ECHINOCACTUS COPTONOGONUS.]

E. cornigerus (horn-bearing).--This remarkable plant, of which a
portion is represented at Fig. 31, has the stoutest spines of all
cultivated Cactuses, and their arrangement on the ridges of the stem is
such as would withstand the attacks of all enemies. The broad
tongue-like spine is purple in colour, and as strong as iron; the three
erect horn-like spines yellow, and as firm as the horns of an antelope,
to which they bear a resemblance. The stem is sphere-shaped, grey-green
in colour, and is divided into from fourteen to twenty-one stout wavy
ribs, upon which the spine tufts occur at intervals of about 2 in. The
arrangement of the spines is shown in the illustration, as also is the
position of the flowers, which are small, with narrow purple petals and
brown-red sepals. The plant is a native of Mexico and Guatemala, and
would require stove treatment. We have seen only small living examples,
but according to descriptions and figures, the most interesting
character it possesses is its spiny armament. It has been called
Melocactus latispinus and Echinocactus latispinus.

[Illustration: FIG. 31.--ECHINOCACTUS CORNIGERUS.]

E. corynodes (club-like); Fig. 32.--The stem of this is about as large
as a Keswick Codlin apple, with the broad end uppermost, and the sides
cut up into about a dozen and a half rather prominent sharp ridges, with
bunches of stout yellow spines arranged, at intervals of about 1 in.,
along the edges. The flowers, which are produced in a cluster on the top
of the stem, form a crown of bright yellow petals, studded with scarlet
eye-like stigmas. Each flower is 2 in. in diameter when fully spread out,
cup-shaped, and composed of two or three rows of over-lapping petals. In
the middle o