126 FICOIDEX. 
celled. Stigmas 4-20, but usually 5. Capsule many-celled, 
opening stellately at the apex, adnate to the permanent calyx. 
Seeds numerous. Embryo curved at the side of a mealy albu- 
men. Cotyledons thick, very blunt.—Subshrubs, rarely herbs, 
almost all natives of the Cape of Good Hope. Leaves usually 
opposite, thick, fleshy, flat, terete or trigonal. Flowers termi- 
nating the branches, white, yellow or purple, the greater part of 
I. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM. 
which open in the heat of the sun, very few of them opening in 
the evening. Fruit opening in a humid atmosphere, and reliev- 
ing the seeds, which are then dispersed by the wind along with 
the sand. 
In consequence of this genus being very large, we think it 
necessary to give a synoptical table of the sections, in order to 
render a reference to the species more easy. 
Synoptical Table of the Sections. 
stemless or nearly so . . 
leaves crowded at the tops of the branches 
Leaves stem creeping . 
not 
papulose. 
plants 
evidently 
leaves dis- 
posed along 
with stems. 
. Acav’rra (I.), §. 1—15. 
. CEPHALOPHY'LLA (II.), §. 16, 18. 
. » + » « REPTANTIA (III.), §. 19-23. 
leaves 
connate or 
sheathing . Perroria ra (IV.), §. 24-27. 
the branches leaves tri- 
quetrous. 
stems erect leaves 
distinct 
OPORI or nearly 
trate, not i 
,. so. . . Trique‘tra(V.), §. 28-36. 
creeping. tea 
terete or 
semi-terete . . . 
Leaves pa- a terete or semi-terete 
pulose. leaves flat : 
Susprvision I. Acav't1a (acaulis, without a stem; plants stem- 
less or nearly so). Haw. rev. succ. p. 81. Stems wanting or 
very short. Root perennial. Leaves large, variable in form and 
thickness, but not flat. 
§1. Spheroitdea (from opaipa, sphaira, a sphere ; in reference 
to the leaves being joined together into a globe). Salm-Dyck.— 
Minima et Spheroidea, Ham. rev. suce. Plants stemless. Leaves 
opposite, very blunt, joined even to the apex into a globe, but 
separating. at length at the apex, and becoming marcescent, but 
still sheathing at the base. * Flowers solitary, sessile, central. 
Calyx 4-5-cleft. Stigmas 4-5.. Petals joined into a loose tube. 
1 M. minv'rum (Haw. obs. 126. misc. 21. rev. 82.) plant 
stemless, obconical, glaucous, without spots ; flowers long, tu- 
bular. Y%.D.G. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. Sims, 
bot. mag. t. 1376. Plant hardly the size of a common bean. 
Petals pale reddish in the free part, spreading; tube slender, 
half an inch long, inclosing the ovarium. 
Minute Fig-marigold: Fl. Sept. Nov. Pl. 4 inch. 
2 M. eee (Haw. obs. 126. misc. 21. syn. 203. rev. p. 
82.) plant stemless, obconical, glaucescent, with confluent rather 
branched spots ; ovarium exserted. %. D. G. Native of the 
Cape of Good Hope. Petiv. gaz. t. 39. f. 3.? ex Haw. Flowers 
very pale yellow, almost white, sessile. The cultivated plants 
of this species are sometimes somewhat caulescent. Offsets 
fewer from this species than from the other allied species. 
Smallest Fig-marigold. Fl. Sept. Dec. Clt. 1776. Pl. 4 inch. 
3 M. rerrusrLium (Haw. rev. p. 82.) plant stemless, obco- 
nical, green, with strong confluent branched dots; ovarium in- 
closed. %4. D. G. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. Very 
nearly allied to M. minimum, but the colour of the flowers is 
deeper, and the offsets more numerous. 
Very-small Fig-marigold. Fl. Sept. Dec. Clt. 1819, 
inch. 
4 M. oscorpe'tLum (Haw. misc. 21. syn. 203. rev. 82.) 
Pl. 4 
‘Digs. 
RK, 
Teretiu scuta (VI.), §. 37-42. 
« « «+ » . Paprrrrosa (VIE); §. 33-53. 
Coe oc Praniroxia (VIIL), §. 54-59. 
plant stemless, obconical, glaucescent, with confluent branched 
dots; ovarium inclosed. 2. D. G. Native of the Cape of 
Good Hope. Sims, bot. mag. 1647. Flowers small, sessile, 
nearly white. Petals twice the size of those of M. perpusillum, 
to which it is very nearly allied. 
Small-obcordate Fig-marigold. Fl. Feb. Oct. Clt, 1776 
Pl. 4 inch. y 
5 M. osconr'iLum (Haw. mise. 21. syn. 203. rev. 83.) plant 
stemless, obconical, green, with confluent, rather tubercle- 
formed dots ; ovarium inclosed. 2.D.G. Native of the Cape 
of Good Hope. Calyx 4-cleft. Corolla white. Fe 
Little-cone Fig-marigold. Fl. Feb. Oct. Clt. 1786. Pl g1 
6 M. ricirérme (Haw. rev. p. 83.) plant stemless, rather 
pyramidal or pear-shaped, glaucous, retusely obtuse at the ape% 
with the dots usually distinct, greenish, and nearly obsolete. 
Y.D. G. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. Plant pale. 
Flowers unknown. i 
Fig-formed Fig-marigold. Fl. Feb. Oct. Clt. 1819 es OF 
7 M. rruncate’ttum (Haw. misc. 22. syn. 203. rev. 85. 
plant stemless, much depressed, and rather glaucous, with t f 
dots rather distinct; ovarium exserted. 2%. D. G: Native 0 
the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers straw-coloured. 
Small-truncated Fig-marigold. Fl. Feb. Oct. 
Pl. 4 inch. . 3) 
8 M. risutzrorme (Haw. misc. p. 22. syn. 203. rev. p- sa 
plant stemless, rather canescent, and somewhat pubescent, vey 
much depressed, and spotless. 4%. D. G. Native of the ape 
of Good Hope. Flowers unknown. ia 
Button-shaped Fig-marigold. Fl.? Clt. 1795. Pl: po 
9 M. TURBINITÓRME (Haw. rev. p. 84.) plant stemless, 0 a6 
nical, exactly truncate, and therefore top-formed, obscurely 
ted. %. D. G. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. Burtt 
cat. 1630. 2. voy. 1. p..310. This species is twice or thrice 
size of M. truncàtum. $4: | 
Top-shaped ce 2 inches. 
ee 
Clt. 1795. 
