marginal prickles. Peduncle three feet long, furnished 
_ with many adpressed entire scariose ovate-lanceolate bract- 
leaves. lowers subunisexual, aggregate in many globose 
sessile clusters ; branch-bracts ovate, not longer than the 
clusters ; flower bracts ovate, brownish, about as long as 
the flowers. Sepals ovate, one-sixth of an inch long. 
Petals white, oblong, obtuse, spreading, little longer than 
the calyx. Ovary large in the female flowers, with three 
spreading stigmas,. and at its base six rudimentary etamons. 
—J. G. Baker. 7 
Fig. 1, 2, A complete flower; 2, corolla cut open, to show the ovary and 
rudimentary stamens; 3, horizontal section of ovary, all enlarged; 4, entire 
plant, much reduced, 
