U6 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



In our plate will be found one species 

 taken from each of four different genera, 

 which may be considered as types, 

 shewing the style of growth and of the 

 flowers of each of these genera. And 

 yet, so varied are the forms in each 

 genus, that no one species will give 

 any adequate idea of the numerous 

 changes in appearance which are 

 wrought out in nature, while retaining 

 the same structural habit. Were we 

 persuaded that any considerable num- 

 ber of our readers are interested in this 

 department of Flora's domain, instead 

 of only presenting them with an en- 

 graving of one species from each genus, 

 we would devote several numbers of 

 the Horticulturist to the illustration of 

 these curious plants, giving a number 

 of species from one genus on each 

 plate. 



The Mamillarias, which in our plate 

 is represented by mamillaria pectinata, 

 is an exceedingly interesting genus. 

 Many species, says Mr. Blanc, resemble 

 exquisite pieces of mechanism finished 

 with the greatest minuteness and ac- 

 curacy. Others would seem to have 

 undergone a kind of crystallization, the 

 whole surface being frosted over with 

 star-like spiculse arranged with geome- 

 trical precision, while yet others appear 

 as if covered with finest gossamer. The 

 spines of M. fulvispina are ivory white 

 at the base, turning to purple towards 

 the point, and regularly curved towards 

 the top of the plant. M. senilis has 

 such delicate spines that it resembles a 

 ball of raw cotton. The flowers of M. 

 pectinata as will be seen from the 

 engraving are large, being nearly three 



inches in diameter when fully expanded. 

 The exterior sepals are of a reddish 

 green, the interior sepals yellow, with 

 a dark midrib ; the petals of a beautiful 

 sulphur yellow. M. pusilla has yel- 

 lowish white flowers, with a red stripe 

 through the centre of each petal. The 

 flowei-s of M. Rhodantha are bright 

 rose, and those of M. Wrightii are 

 bright purple. It is impossible in the 

 brief space at our command to give 

 anything like an exhaustive description 

 of the many species that are included 

 in this genus, but enough has been 

 said to shew that there is a great 

 variety in the appearance of the plants 

 and the color of the flowers. 



In the genus called Anhalonium, vre 

 have some most curious forms. Per- 

 haps the most interesting of them all is 

 the one known as Anhalonium fissu- 

 rata, an excellent representation of 

 which will be found in our plate, so 

 good, indeed, that farther description 

 is unnecessary. 



We have selected one of the so- 

 called Torch Cactus to represent the 

 genus Cereus, a genus that includes 

 some of the most wonderful and som 

 of the most beautiful of the Cactus 

 tribe. This genus embraces two dis- 

 tinct groups of species ; the one group 

 grows erect, with rigid stems, some of 

 them attaining a height of from forty 

 to sixty feet ; the other group has 

 slender, trailing stems. In the latter 

 group is found the celebrated night- 

 blooming Cereus, of most delicious per- 

 fume, yet as evanescent as it is beauti- 

 ful, fading before the morning. 



The genus Echinocereus is repre- 



