108 FLORA'S LEXICON. 



CE PLANT. Mesembryanthemum Crys- 

 tallinum. Class 12, Icosandria. Order : 

 Pentagynia. The leaves of this singular 

 plant are covered with transparent vesicles 

 full of water. When in the shade it seems 

 to be gemmed with dew-drops; but when 

 exposed to the burning sun, it appears scat- 

 tered over with frozen crystals, which reflect with great bril- 

 liancy the rays of the sun ; on this account it is commonly called 

 ice plant 



YOUR LOOKS FREEZE ME. 



With pellucid studs the ice-flower gems 

 His rising foliage, and his candied stems. 



Darwin. 



Tell me, perhaps thou think'st in that sweet look 

 The white is beauty's native tapestry? 

 'Tis crystal, friend, iced in the frozen sea. 



Fletcher. 



Be she constant, be she fickle, 

 Be she fire, or be she ice. 



Cotton. 



Those glances work on me like the weak shine 

 The frosty sun throws on the Appenine, 

 When the hills' active coldness doth go near 

 To freeze the glimmering taper to his sphere. 



Beaumont. 



Then, taught both impudence and wit, 

 I singled out my foe, used all the arts 

 That love could think upon, and in the end 



Found a most absolute repulse. 



Shirley. 



