560 



ANNUAL EEPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1908. 



5. Phyllocactus. — This genus is epiphytal. It has leaf like joints 

 and beautiful, large, elongated flowers, which, unlike those of Epi- 



phyllum, are perfectly regular and funnel 

 shaped, with separate stamens growing 

 from the tube and not connate at the base. 

 The fruit is red, scaly, or marked with 

 the scars left by deciduous scales. That 

 of Phyllocactus anguliger^ which grows 

 on the slopes of the volcano of Colima, is 

 called " pitayita del cerro," and is used 

 in preparing a refreshing drink like 

 lemonade. The flower of this species is 

 tinted from flesh color to white. An- 

 other species with scarlet flowers {Phyl- 

 locactus ackermaiini) is widely cultivated 

 in Mexico. 



6. Epijjhyllum. — The flowers of this 

 genus are distinctly irregular, or zygo- 

 morphic, and curved; stamens grouped 

 in two series, the inner group of 10 sta- 

 mens growing together at the base so as 

 to form a tube. The stems are flat and 

 jointed, the joints articulating somewhat 

 like the segments of a crab's claws. The 

 only well-defined species is the " crab 

 cactus," Epiphyllum truncatum^ from 

 Brazil, widely cultivated in conserva- 

 tories for its beautiful crimson flowers, 

 which, instead of growing from the mar- 

 gin of the joints as in Phyllocactus, are 

 terminal. 



7. Rhipsalis. — Of this epiphytal genus, 

 which is distinguished among all the 

 Cactacese as the only one occurring spon- 

 taneously in the Old World, I have al- 

 ready spoken {see fig. 1, p. 537). In the 

 island of Ceylon Rhipsulis cassytha is 

 called " mistletoe " by the English resi- 

 dents, on account of its habit of growth 

 and its small, pellucid, glutinous berries. 



r 



Fig 



24. — Phyllocactus phyllan- 

 thoides. 



Tribe M amillariem. 



8. Mamillaria and its allies. — The 

 plants of this genus are usually spehr- 

 ical, hemispherical, or cylindrical in form and covered with wart- 

 like or teatlike tubercles, usually arranged in regular spirals and 



