476 icoSANDRiA MONOGYNiA. Fobricia. 



smooth, except in the axills of the leaves ;* length and 

 breadth various, according to soil and situation. Leaves 

 scattered over the joints, small, sessile, subcorneal, fleshy, 

 caducous. Thorns axillary, generally single, though 

 sometimes in pairs, straight, from half an inch to two 

 inches long, very strong, whitish, except the point, which 

 is darker coloured, and very sharp ; their insertions are 

 surrounded with innumerable, slender, sharp, short bris- 

 tles, which readily penetrate the skin, and give much 

 trouble to the unwary handler. Flowers from the upper 

 edges of the joints ; sessile, large, of a bright beautiful yel- 

 low colour, opening only in the day. Calyx one-leafed, 

 consisting of a leathery cup which fills exactly the umbili- 

 cus of the germ, deciduous with the corol, stamens and 

 style in one body. Petals many, the exterior ones small- 

 er, and obcordate ; the interior ones oblong with somewhat 

 ragged margins. Stamens not half the length of the petals. 

 Pistiilum, ^c. as in the genus. 



Upon this plant the Cochineal insects lately brought 

 from America, thrive and multiply abundantly. 



2. C. chinensis. JR. 



Subarboreous, joints compressed, proliferous, sublan- 

 ceolar, almost unarmed. Petals retuse, truncate, long- 

 er than the stamina. 



A native of China ; from thence it was introduced into 

 the Botanic garden at Calcutta about twenty years ago, 

 during all that time it has blossomed only once. 



FJBRICIA. 



Calyx five-cleft. Petals five, sessile. Stigma capitate. 

 Capsule many-celled ; seeds winged. 



F. bracteata. R. 



Leaves opposite, oblong, the floral ones minute and lan- 



* I call the little caducous conical bodies over the joints leaves. 



