I* 



504 



CACTUS speciosus. 

 Mose-flvwered Indian- Ftg, 



ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA, 



Nat. ord. Cacti. Jussieu gen. 310- Div* IL 

 CACTUS. Suprh voU 'i.fol. 137- 



Div^ PhyUantku 

 €• ^eciosvSf caulibus articulatis, compressis, foliaceii, serrato-rmandis ; 

 ' noribus magnis tubo inermi, squaiiiulosa. Botipland nav. et malmais, 8. 

 ^3; fnon vero WUldenovii in suppL enum* hort. beroh^ ciyus planta est 

 Cactus speciosissimus. Menu du mus^m. 3. 190. /. 9-) 

 Cdctus speciosus. Desfont.tabL \9\. 



Frutescens. CauHs articulatuSy ramosus, l^te virescenSy suhnudus, camo" 

 sus, marginibus crenalO'excisuSy ex cyliudraceo sispeqne subanguiari cum 

 crassitudine pennm scriptoria in laminam^oliaceam obtottgam latitudine sesqui' 

 blunciuU longiludine plus minus sesunciab extenuatus, nervo medio alios parol- 

 klos utrinque cmfttente percursuSf imo crenantm sin& arrttatus Jascictdis 



?nnidarum mimdarum lanugine albicanie cinctus vix oculis nudis manifestis. 

 lores in crenis caulinis so/itarii^ quadriuncialeSy infundibuliformes^ curvuU^ 

 extics squarroso'Vecurvit inius iubuloso'convergentes. Germ, oblongum^ piurtes 

 bre'vius tubo calycis. Cal. oblorrgus, cylindriciis^ tubopallide virente, squamis 

 ^ropnrpureis refiexis munitOy breviore segmentis limbi. Cor. It^e rosea^ sub* 

 hngior calvce; peU elongato-oblonga^ ttpice mucronata^ intima in campanam 

 tuQuioso'oUongam conniventia, Stam, numerosa aquantia cordlam: fil. i«i* 

 iapillaria, tenera, alba. Stylus tsqualis staminibus^ Jiliformis. Stig. 5 p- 7- 



This beautifiiUy blossomed and curious plant was first 

 observed by Messrs. Humboldt and Bonpland during their 

 memorable travels in South America. They met with it, in 

 1801, growing wild near the village of Turbaco, situated a 

 few leagues to the south of Carthagena, at the elevation of 

 126 fathoms. The species belongs to a section distinguished 

 in the genus by a thinner flesh, less substantial yet succulent 

 stems, the articulations of which are extended into the form 

 of fiat elongated leaves, are nearly free from the thorny pencils 

 that beset the surface of the rest and largely indented at the 

 margin- It differs in its own section of the genus, fi-om 

 alatus in not having a small greenish white flower, and from 

 Phyllanthus in not having a long slender white one. 



The drawing was taken last June, in the conservatory of 

 Mrs, GUbert, at EarVs Court, where the plant had been 

 received fi-om France the year before. The first time it 



VOL. IT. N 



