C 32 ] 
Mesembryanthemum. Dolabriforme. 
Hatchet-Leav’d Fig-Marigold. 
Oafs and Order. 
ICOSANDRIA PENTACYNIA. 
Generic Char a tier. 
Cat. 5-ftdu*. Petala numcrofa, lincaria. Cap/, carnofa, infera, 
polyfperma. 
Strife Char a tier and Synonym. 
MESEMBRYANTHEMUM dolabriforme acaulc, foliisdola- 
briformibus punftatis. Linn. 
Sy/l. t eg. p. 470. 
FICOIDES capcnfts humilis, folus cornua ccrvi referentibus, 
petalis luteis nodiflora. Brad!, fuc. 1. p. 11. 1. 10. 
Dtlien Hort. EJtb. t. \gx. f. 237. 
Though many Latin names of plants, as Geranium , Hepatiea, 
Convolvulus, Ac. are more familiar to the ear, and more ge- 
nerally ufed than their Englifh ones, yet Mefembryantbemum , 
though ufed by fome, appears too long to be generally adopt- 
ed, its Englifh name of Pig- Marigold is doubtlefs to be pre- 
ferred. 
The Fig-Marigolds are a very numerous tribe, chiefly inha- 
bitants of the Cape of Good Hope; no lefs than thirty-three 
fpccics are figured in that incftimable work the Uortus Ettba- 
menjts of Dii.Lt nils. As moll of thefe plants grow readily 
from flips, or cuttin g, and require only the fheher of a com- 
mon greenhoufe, and as they recommend themfelves to our 
notice, either from the extreme Angularity of their foliage, 
the beauty of their flowers, or the peculiarity of their expan- 
Con, fo they arc a favourite clafs of plants with many. 
I he prefent fpecies is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, 
and is particularly diftingu.lhed by having leaves fomew’hat re- 
fcmbling a hatchet, whence it3 name; it is as hardy as mod, 
and flowers as freely, but its blolfo.ns fully expand in the 
evening and night only. 
It is very readily propagated by cuttings. 
