150 FLORA'S LEXICON. 



IGHT BLOOMING CEREUS. Cactus 

 Grandijiorus. Class 12, Icosandria. Or- 

 der: Monogynia. The night-flowering Ce- 

 reus, or Cactus grandijlorus, is one of our 

 most splendid hot-house plants, and is a na- 

 tive of Jamaica and some other of the West 

 India Islands. Its stem is creeping, and 

 thickly set with spines. The flower is white, and very large, 

 sometimes nearly a foot in diameter. The most remarkable cir- 

 cumstance with regard to the flower, is the short time which it 

 takes to expand, and the rapidity with which it decays. It begins 

 to open late in the evening, flourishes for an hour or two, then 

 begins to droop, and before morning is completely dead. 



TRANSIENT BEAUTY. 



Now departs day's garish light — 



Beauteous flower, lift thy head ! 

 Rise upon the brow of night ! 



Haste, thy transient lustre shed! 



Night has dropp'd her dusky veil — 



All vain thoughts be distant far, 

 While, with silent awe, we hail 



Flora's radiant evening star. 



See to life her beauties start; 



Hail ! thou glorious, matchless flower ! 

 Much thou sayest to the heart, 



In the solemn, fleeting hour. 



Ere we have our homage paid, 



Thou wilt bow thine head and die; 



Thus our sweetest pleasures fade, 

 Thus our brightest blessings fly. 



Sorrow's rugged stem, like thine, 

 Bears a flower thus purely bright; 



Thus, when sunny hours decline, 



Friendship sheds her cheering light. Anon. 



