NAT. ORDER. 



Cdctcce. 



OPUNTIA BRASILIENSIS. BEAZILIAN PRICKLY-PEAR. 



Class XT. IcosANDRiA. Order I. Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Sepals, numerous. Stamens, numerous, shorter than the 

 petals. Style, cyHndrical. Stigmas, many. 



Spe. Char. Berry, ovate. Petals, conivant. Moicers, red. Joints, 

 obovate. 



The peculiar habit and mode of growth at once distinguish this 

 species. It rises with a perfectly straight, erect, slender but firm and 

 stiff, round stem, to a height of from ten to twenty, or even thirty feet, 

 very gradually tapering to a point from a diameter of two to six inches 

 at the base, and furnished all the way up with short, mostly horizon- 

 tal or declining branches, spreading round on all sides, and gradually 

 becoming shorter upwards ; the whole j)lant resembles a straight ta- 

 per ; pole, artificially dressed up with branches ; main stem perfecdy 

 round, continuous and straight throughout ; branches horizontal, or de- 

 clining, short ; the ulumate johits are obovate, and resemble leaves in 

 appearance and thickness, more than in any other described species of 

 Opimtia ; being only about twice as thick as those of Ccrcus pthyllan- 

 thus, ovphyllanthoides, but stiffer; the whole yVr//)/ is a bright green in- 

 clining to yellow, especially in young or sickly plants ; the lower part 

 of the stetn only is brownish ash-colored ; the Jloiccrs open in long 

 succession, being abundantly produced all over the plant from the 

 prominent parts of the edges of the terminal joints ; they are bright 

 lemon-yellow, middle-sized ; when expanded, from an inch to an inch 

 and a half in diameter ; and without tube ; petals imbricated, sub- 



VoL. IV.— 180. 



