C A C 



C A C 



f^ofius, Five-ane;led Uprieht Torch Thistle ; 5. 

 "C. Iiexagtutiii, Six-angrlid UpnghtTorchTliistle; 

 6. C. Iteptagoma, ScvtMi -angled Ipriiilu Torch 

 Thistle; 1 .C. rt'pandu>, Slencicr Upn^jhl Torch 

 Tlii>tlc; 8. C. laniigiiwini. Woolly Lipright 

 Torch ThisiU:; !). C. I'eniviauvs, Peruvian Up- 

 rieht Torch Tiilslle; U». C. Roytm, Koycn'sUp- 

 rii:ht Torch Thistle ; 1 1 . C". prandijionn, (ireat- 

 flow eriug Creeping Cereus; 12. C.Jingellifonnis, 

 Pink-ilowering Creeping Cereiis ; 13. C. trian- 

 gularis, Triangular Cereus. or Stniwberrv Pear ; 

 14. C. Opuntia, Common Indian Fig, or I'ricklv 

 Pear; 15. C. liins Indica, Oblong Indian l'ii»; 

 IC. C. Titrca, Great Indian Fig, or Prickly 

 Pear; 17. C. cocheniU'ifer, Cochineal Indian 

 Fiff; is. C. Cttrasiaiiais, Curassao, or Lea<i 

 Indian Fig, or Pin-pillow; ip. C. spinosiisimtK, 

 Cluiter-spincd Indian Fig; 20. (.'. PhijIUinlhux, 

 Spleen-Nvort-leaved Indian Fig; i\. C. alaliis, 

 I»iarro\v Long-jointed Indian Fig; 22. C. moni- 

 iijlrmis, Necli-lace Indian Fig; i:i. C. pereskia, 

 Barhadoes Gooseberry. 



The fust differs from the following species in 

 beinT smaller and covered all over with 

 tubercles, between which the flowers and fruit 

 come out, round the middle of the plant : the 

 bodv is roundish, oblong, or melon-shaped : 

 the flowers appear in July and August : the fruit 

 is of a line scarlet colour, continuing fresh 

 upon the plants during the winter, which has a 

 very beautiful eflect at that season. 



There are varieties with white spines, with 

 red spines, and a proliferous or childing variety : 

 this is onlv a little larger than the other, growing 

 nearly in the same fonn, but produces a grea^ 

 number of voung plants from the sides : it has 

 tufts of a soft white down upon the tubercles or 

 knobs, and also between them ; the whole plant 

 appearing as if covered with fine cotton : 

 the flowers are larger, but not succeeded by 

 fruit in this climate, young plants being thrust 

 out in their stead the following season from the 

 places where the flowers had been. 



The second species appears like a large fleshy 

 green melon, having deep ribs, set all over with 

 strong sharp thorns. When cut through the 

 middFe, the inside is found to be a soft, green, 

 fleshy substance, very full of moisture. The 

 flowers and fruit are produced in circles round 

 the upper part of the cap. Some brought hither 

 have been more than a yard in circumference, 

 and two feet and a half high including the caps ; 

 but in the West Indies there are plants much 

 larger. Thev resemble a hcdgc-hog in their 

 fonn and spines. 



There are varieties with straight angles, with 

 fifteen angles spirally twisted and erect spines, 

 with fifteen angles and broad recurved spines. 



with fourteen angles and Ivoad recurved spines, 

 with fourteen angles and white spines. 



Th ' third species has an upright foiir-angled 

 succulent stem ; the annlcs are compressed, 

 annetl v\iih spines, and far asunder. It is sub- 

 ject to put out many shoots from the sides, 

 which stops iisupright growth, so that the plants 

 rarely rise more than fo.ir or five feet in height. 



The lourlh has a succulent jointed stem ; 

 the inteinodes a toot long : knots of spines 

 come out along the cdcre without anv visible nap 

 among them ; and sometimes, but rarely, the 

 stem lias six angles ; it never puts out anv roois, 

 and, though slender and weak, erows upright to 

 the height of several feet. 



In the filth species the angles are armed with 

 sharp spines, coming out in clusters at certain 

 distances, and spreading from a centre event- 

 way : the outer substance of the plant is soft, 

 herbaceous, and full of juice, but in the middle 

 there is a strong fibrous circle running the whole 

 length, which secures the stems from being 

 broken hv winds : thev rise to the height of 

 thirr\- or fortv feet when their tops are not in- 

 jured, and they have room to grow; but when- 

 ever the stems are cut, or injured, thev put out 

 shoots from the angles, immedlatelv under the 

 wounded part, and frequentlv one or two lower 

 down : these, w hen not cut oti", form distinct 

 stems, and grow upright ; but they are seldom 

 so large as the principal one, especially if more 

 than one be left on a plant. The flowers come 

 out from the angles on the side of the stem ; 

 and have a thick, fleshv, scaly, round, channelled, 

 hairy peduncle, supporting a swelling germ, 

 upon the top of which sits the scaly, prickly 

 calyx, closelv surrounding the corolla till a lit- 

 tle time before it expands: the flower is then as 

 large as that of a hollyhock ; the inner petals 

 being white and crcnated at their cxtremiiv: 

 the calvx is green, with some purple stripes : it 

 is not succeeded bv fruit in this climate, nor do 

 the plants produce flowers frequentlv ; but when 

 this happens, there are generally several. The. 

 usual time of flowering is in Julv. 



The sixth has an upright shorter stem, which 

 is oblong and seven-angled, the angles deeply 

 cut and armed with spines. According to some, 

 it runs to the height of a foot and a half or two 

 feet. It has not flowered in this climate. 



The sc\enth species is described as liaving the 

 smallest stem of anv of the upright sorts; gcne- 

 rallv wi;ti nine tibiusc angles anned with ^horl 

 spines ]ilaced at further distances ilwin thi>se of 

 tiie other sorts, and the channels Let ween the 

 angles not near so deep. 'I'he flowers are pro- 

 duced from the angles in the samenianiur .1^ 

 the filth; but arcsmallcr, andthecalvxisof a Visit 

 5 F2 



