A new opuntioid cactus from the Cayman Islands, BWI, with a discussion andkey to the genus Consolea Lemaire

A new subspecies of Consolea millspaughii is described from the eastern blu ff of Cayman Brac and northern coastal terrace of Little Cayman (Cayman Isl ands, British West Indies). This taxon has been mistakenly identified as Co nsolea spinosissima since its first collection in 1938. However, the smooth surface of its stem segments, not being demarcated by a network of depress ed lines, its pitted areoles, and the fairly reduced pedicellate area of th e pericarpel set it apart from this Jamaican endemic. Because the novelty h ere described brings to three the number of Consolea taxa that are characte rized by very closely set, pitted areoles, an informal "C. millspaughii spe cies-group" is recognized. This assemblage of Western Caribbean opuntioids includes Consolea corallicola, C. millspaughii subsp. millspaughii, and C. millspaughii subsp. caymanensis. The new subspecies is described, illustrat ed, and compared with C. spinosissima and with kindred taxa within the spec ies-group. A key to all species and subspecies of Consolea is provided.