55 



Africa and in other parts of the world, and by their great tenacity of 

 life have bec^ome a nuisance in places specially favourable to their 

 growth. Some of the species are used medicinally, and the fruits of 

 others are eatable. Several species of Opuntia form the food plant of 

 the Cochineal insect. Our only species (Rhipsalis cassytha) is a 

 cord-like plant hanging from rocks and trees in the midland and 

 upper districts. The plants usually spoken of in Natal as Cacti are 

 either Euphorbias or Asclepiads. 



Number of species probably about 1000. 



Stems terete, green. Berry pisiform, smooth. 



1 Rhipsalis, Gaertn. 

 Cassytha, Gaertn. B-E. 



Rhipsalis. 



ORDER LXXIX. FICOIDE^. 



The members of this family are chiefly weeds without any useful 

 properties. The genus Mesembryanthemum is a large one, but is far 

 more common in the Cape Colony than in Natal. Some of its species 

 bear brightly-coloured and showy flowers, and one species formed the 

 l)ase of a proprietary medicine which was prepared and sold in 

 Natal. 



Number of species about 450. 



(Ex. Hottentot Fig.) 



Capsule with star-like opening at apex. 1 



Capsule loculicidal, cells many ovuled. 2 



Capsule loculicidal or fruit indehiscent, its cells 1 seeded. 3 



1 Petals and stamens very numerous. 



1 Petals none. Stamens about 20. Stipules 0. 



1 „ „ ,, ,, 3-30. Stipulate. 



2 Sepals unequal, cuspidate. Seeds arilled. 

 2 Sepals sub-equal. Seeds not arilled. 



3 Stamens 5 Capsule 3-5 angled. Seeds 

 globose. 



3 Fruit of 2 separable hemispherical carpels. 



Mesembryanthemum. 



AlZOON. 



Pharnaceum . 

 Orygia. 



MOLLUGO. 



PSAMMOTROPHA. 

 LlMEUM. 



List of Species. 



1 Mesembryanthemum, Linn. 



4 MoUugo, Linn. 

 oppositifolia, Linn. 



5 Pharnaceum, Linn. 

 distichum, Thb. 



6 Psammotropha, Linn. 

 androsacea, Fenzl. 

 myriantha, Sond. 



7 Limeum, Linn, 

 viscosum, Fenzl. 



B-E. 

 B-D. 



AB. 



