DICOTYLEDONS. 155 



or very small and flesliy ; flowers showy, solitary, sessile ; 

 sepals and petals many and similar, adherent to the 1-celled 

 ovary ; stamens numerous, inserted on the base of the petals ; 

 style single, stigmas many ; fruit a fleshy, many-seeded berry. 



OPUNTIA. 



Stems in flattened or cylindrical joints ; leaves small, fleshy, 

 on the upper parts of the younger joints, with a tuft of hairs 

 and a few strong spines in the axils ; sepals and petals not 

 united to form a tube above the top of the ovary ; stamens 

 very numerous ; style longer than the stamens, 3-8-divided ; 

 fruit bristly. 



1. O. Opuntia (L.) Coult. Prickly Pear. Prostrate or ascend- 

 ing; stems with oval or obovate, flattened joints; leaves soon decidu- 

 ous ; spines few, solitary ; flowers from tlie edges of the joints, near 

 the summit, yellow, often vai'iegated with red, 2-3 in. wide; fruit 

 obovoid, purple, edible, 1-1 1 in. long. June- August. Dry, barren 

 soil. 



2. O. Pes-Corvi LeC. Crowfoot Cactus. Prostrate or as- 

 cending; joints cylindrical or slightly flattened, 1—3 in. long, sepa- 

 rating easily; spines in pairs, unequal; sepals and petals 8-12; 

 stigmas 4 ; fruit small, flesliy, bristly, 1-4-seeded. May-.Juue. On 

 sandy soil, more connnon along the coast. 



85. THYMELEACE^. MEZEPvEON FAMILY. 



Shrubs or trees, with acrid sap ; bark tough and fibrous ; 

 leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate ; flowers regular, perfect, 

 in axillary clusters ; calyx tube cylindrical, 4-5-toothed or 

 entire ; petals none ; stamens 8 in 2 rows, inserted on the 

 calyx, exserted, the alternate ones longer ; ovary supcM-ior, 

 1-celled, 1 ovuled, style long, stigma capitate; fruit a drupe. 



DIRCA. 



Shrubs; bark very tough, with interwoven fibers; leaves 

 deciduous, short-petioled ; flowers in small clusters from buds 

 on shoots of the previous season, and protected by hairy 



