112 CLASS ICOSANDRIA. 



The most splendid species of this genus is the Night- 

 blooming Cereus (C. grandiflorus), bearing flowers 

 near a foot in diameter, with the calyx yellow, and 

 the petals white. They have the odor of vanilla ; begin 

 to open soon after sunset, and close next morning to 

 open no more ; the stem is round, pentangular, and 

 weak or trailing, as is, also, that of the more common, 

 and easier cultivated Creeping Cereus ( C. flagelli- 

 formis), which has about 10 angles, and is closely 

 beset with spiny bristles ; the flower is very conspicu- 

 ous, a fine red, and continues a long time in blossom 

 both day and night. 



Primus, the genus of the Plum and Cherry, belongs 

 to the natural order of the Rosaceje, and has an 

 inferior, campanulate, 5-cleft, deciduous calyx ; 5 pe- 

 tals ; a smooth drupe ; and a nut with a prominent 

 suture. 



In Lythrum, which forms the type of the natural 

 order Salicarije, the calyx is tubular, and sometimes 

 partly campanulate, with a 6 or 12-toothed border. 

 The stamina, contrary to almost all the plants of this 

 class, are constant in number in each species, being in 

 some 6, in others 12, but as well as the 6 equal petals, 

 inserted upon the sides of the calyx. The capsule is 2 

 to 4-celled, and many-seeded. Our most common 

 species is the L. verticillatum, which has a 10-toothed, 

 almost companulate calyx, and a capsule of 3 or 4 

 cells. It grows on the edges of ponds, and in swamps, 

 sending out from a woody perennial root, many curved 

 pubescent branches, which not unfrequently take root 

 again at their extremities on approaching the ground. 

 The leaves are lanceolate, opposite, or by 3's ; the 

 flowers are red, axillary, verticillate, and decandrous, 

 with undulated petals. The capsule is nearly globose. 

 This species approaches somewhat to the splendid 

 Indian and Chinese genus Lagerstramia, belonging 



