Tas. 4417, 
CEREUS Lestanus. 
Mr. Lee’s Cereus. 
Nat. Ord. Cactr®.—IcosanDRIA Monoeynia. 
Gen. Char. Sepala numerosissima imbricata, basi ovario adnata, in tubum 
elongatum concreta, exteriora  breviora calycinalia, media longiora colorata, 
intima petaliformia. Stamina numerosissima cum tubo concreta. Stylus fili- 
formis, apice multifidus. Bacea areolata, sepalorum reliquiis squamata aut tuber- 
culosa. Cotyledones acuminates.—Frutices carnosi, subglobosi, v. elongati, strieti, 
articulati v. repentes, axi ligneo interne medullifero donati, angulis verticalibus, 
spinarum fasciculos gerentibus vel inermibus, regulariter sulcati. Anguli seu 
alee nunc plurime, nunc paucissine, rarius due tantum, et tune rami compresso- 
alati, inermes. Flores ampli, e spinarum fasciculis lateralibus trunci aué ramorum 
vetustiorum, aut crenis angulorum orti. Fructus oviformes, plerumque anno 
sequente maturescentes, edules. Pfeiff. 
ee 
CrrEus Leeanus ; erectus subpedalis conico-cylindraceus, subacute 12—14-cos- 
_tatus, areolis approximatis pulvinato-tomentosis sub-12-spinosis, spinis v. 
aculeis acicularibus valde ineequalibus strictis fuscis, exterioribus 2-3 lineas 
longis, centrali unciali, floribus subterminalibus speciosis lateritio-sanguineis, 
squamis calycinis apice viridibus setosis, petalis obovato-oblongis acutis, 
Presented to the Royal Gardens by Mr. Lee of the Hammer- 
smith Nursery, who received it from France, ‘as an unknown 
Species, native of Mexico. If published, it would be no easy 
matter to recognise it from description alone. It is only by 
good figures, taken from perfect flowering specimens of the living 
plants that we can hope to make known the distinguishing 
feature of the individuals of this singular family. The present 
Species is among the most beautiful, a free bloomer, and its 
blossoms are large and showy. 
. Descr. Our plant is nearly a foot in height, about four inches 
broad, tapering upwards, from a nearly cylindrical base, hence 
“Somewhat conical, the summit being the narrowest part: it is 
furrowed throughout its length rather deeply and acutely, 
forming elevated, rather sharp ridges or angles, which are. studded 
at short intervals by small, dense, cushion-like tufts of wool, 
bearing the cluster (about twelve in a cluster) of sharp needle- 
JANUARY Ist, 1849. B 
