PLATE 394. 



RHIPSALIS CASSYTHA, Gaertn. (Fl. of Mauritius and Seychelles, p. 133). 



Natural Order, CACTACE.B. 



An almost leafless plant with terete stems, bearing sessile white flowers. 

 Stems and branches elongate, terete, green, glabrous, 2 to 3 lines diameter, some- 

 times reaching to 9 feet in length, and scarcely differing in diameter from base to 

 apex ; branches divaricating or sometimes whorled, occasionally rooting. Leaves 

 very minute, scale-like, scattered. Flowers solitary on the branches, sessile, white. 

 Calyx adnate to the ovary, and not projecting beyond it, irregularly toothed ; 

 petals 5 to 8, inserted at throat of calyx, patent, persistent, spreading to 5 lines 

 diameter. Stamens about 20, shorter than the petals and inserted with them; 

 anthers 2-celled, cells divergent at base; connective produced slightly beyond the 

 cells. Style filiform, stigmas 3-4, slightly longer than stamens, and with minute 

 glanriular hairs on upper surface and margins. Ovary inferior, 1 -celled, many 

 ovuled. Berry globose, 3 lines diameter, at first dull reddish, becoming lighter 

 coloured with age ; seeds minute, black, shining. 



Habitat.- NATAL: Hanging from trees and rocks in midland and upper 

 districts. 



Drawn from a plant growing on wood in Botanic Gardens. 



The genus Rhipaalis includes 30 or more species, of which the plant here 

 described is the only one found in Natal. It also occurs in Madagascar and the 

 Mascarine Islands. It is also the only species of the Order Cactaceae which is so 

 far as at present known indigenous to Africa, though more than one introduced 

 species are becoming more or less nuisances in some parts of South Africa, but 

 they are all really natives of the American continent. The present species has no 

 economic or decorative value, and is only inserted here on account of its rarity, 

 and somewhat peculiar distribution. 



Fig 1, a bud; 2, a flower; 3, a stamen; 4, style and stigma; 5, portion of 

 stem showing the minute leaves ; all enlarged. 



