134 DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 



nite, coloured, opening beneath bright sunshine, sometimes 

 wanting. Stamens arising from the calyx, definite or indefi- 

 nite, distinct ; anthers oblong, incumbent. Ovary inferior, or 

 nearly superior, many-celled ; stigmas numerous, distinct. 

 Capsule either surrounded by the fleshy calyx, or naked, many- 

 celled, often 5-celled, opening in a stellate manner at the apex. 

 Seeds definite or indefinite ; embryo lying on the outside of 

 mealy albumen, curved or spiral. 



Shrubs or herbs. Leaves succulent, opposite, simple. 



1. SESUVIUM. Linn. 



Calyx 5 parted, persistent, lobes coloured within. Petals 

 none. Stamens 15 30, inserted at the top of the short caly- 

 cine tube. Ovary free, sessile. Style none. Stigmas 3 5. 

 Capsule 3, rarely 4 5-celled, opening circularly, many-seed- 

 ed. Icosandria. Di-Pentagynia. 



S. portulacastrum Linn. : leaves linear or lanceolate-oblong, flat ; 

 flowers pedicelled or subsessile. 



HAB. Sea coast N. J. to Flor. June Sept. U.Sttm suc- 

 culent. Leaves opposite, entire. Flowers solitary, axillary, red- 

 dish. " Varies with flowers upon long pedicejs, S. peduncula turn 

 Pers. and with the flowers subsessile, & sessile Pers. ' De Cand. 



ORDER LV. CACTE.E. De Cand. Lind. 



Sepals numerous, usually indefinite and confounded with 

 the petals, either crowning the ovary or covering its whole sur- 

 face. Petals numerous, usually indefinite. Stamens indefi- 

 nite, more or less cohering with the petals and sepals ; fila- 

 ments longer, filiform; anthers ovate. Ovary fleshy, 1-cell- 

 ed ; style filiform ; stigmas numerous, collected in a cluster. 

 Fruit succulent, 1 -celled, many-seeded, smooth or covered 

 with scales, scars or tubercles. Seeds without albumen ; em- 

 bryo straight, curved or spiral ; cotyledons flat, thick, folia- 

 ceous. 



Succulent shrubs, very variable in form. Leaves mostly 

 wanting ; when present fleshy, smooth, and entire or spine- 

 like. 



1. OPUNTIA. Tourn. 



Sepals numerous, leafy, adnate to the ovary ; outer ones 

 flat, short ; inner ones petal-like, obovate, rosaceous ; tube 



