AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



299 



Cereus continued. 



the fascicles of spines, or indentures on the angles; 

 sepals very numerous, imbricated, adnate to the base of 

 the ovary, united into an elongated tube ; outer sepals the 

 shortest, forming the calyx ; middle ones longer and 

 coloured, innermost ones petaloid ; stamens very numerous, 

 united with the tube ; style filiform, mnltifid at the apex. 

 Berry areolate, tubercular or scaly, either from the remains 

 of the sepals, or from their cicatrices when they have fallen 

 off. For culture, see Cactus. 



Of this large genus, the following species are the best, 

 and most easily obtained. Numerous others are offered 

 for sale, principally by continental growers. 

 C. coccinens (scarlet).* fl, scarlet, large, numerous. September. 

 Plant with long joints, rooting, deep green, triangular ; ribs com- 

 pressed, repand ; prickles rising from yellow tomentum, radiating 

 ones few, pilose, white, and four rather recurved, stiff, fulvous 

 central ones in each fascicle. Brazil, 1828. 



C. crenulatus (crennlate). Plant simple, erect, greyish-green ; 

 with eight blunt tubercular ribs, and narrow recesses ; areolae, 

 while young, convex and velvety ; prickles fourteen in each 

 fascicle, white, setaceous, stiff, outer ten radiating, central four 

 diverging, and longer than the others. Stem 6in. high, and 2in. 

 in diameter. Mexico, 1822. 



FIG. 400. CEREUS PLEIOGOMJS. 



C. fimbriatus (fringed).* JL rose-coloured, campanulate, with 



few petals, which are fringed ; tube short ; stamens very numerous. 



fr. globose, red, size of an orange, beset with prickly tubercles. 



Plant tall, erect, bluntly eight-angled ; prickles setaceous, white. 



h. 18ft. to 25ft St. Domingo, 182oV 

 C. flagellifonnis (whip-formed).* fl. red or pink, very handsome ; 



style rather shorter than the petals. March. Stems prostrate, 



creeping, with about ten angles; tubercles crowded, bearing 



bristles. Peru, 1690. (B. M. 17.) 

 C. fulgidus (glittering) .* /. orange-scarlet, having the inner petals 



blood-red, and glossy with a metallic lustre. 6in. to 7in. across. 



Cer ens continued. 



Tropical America, 1870. A very handsome tall-growing plant, 

 with three to four-angled steins, spiny at the nodes! (BTfi. 68661) 

 C.grandiflonis (large-flowered).* fl. very large. June to August. 

 Stems rooting, diffuse, climbing, five to six-angled bristles i Sin 

 to Sin. each, fascicled, hardly longer than the doirn from which 

 they proceed. West Indian Islands, 1700. The flowers continue 

 about six hours in full blossom. They begin to open between seven 

 and eight o'clock in the evening, and are fully blown by eleven 

 By three or four o'clock in the morning, they fade ; but, durine 

 their short existence, there is hardly any flower of greater beauty 

 or that makes a more magnificent appearance. The calyx of the 

 flower, when open, is nearly 1ft. in diameter; the inside, being of a 

 splendid yellow colour, appears like the rays of a bright star the 

 outside is of a dark brown. The petals, being of a pure white, 

 contribute to the lustre ; the vast number of recurved stamens in 

 the centre of the flower make a fine appearance. Add to all this 

 the strong, sweet fragrance, and there is scarcely any plant 

 which so much deserves a place in the stove, as this, especially 

 as it may be trained against the wall, where it will not take up 

 any room. See Fig. 407. (B. M. 3381.) 



FIG. 410. CKKEUS SERPE.NTIMS. 



C. hexagonns (six-angled), fl. solitary, 6in. long; the sepul> 

 along the tube greenish and irregularly imbricated ; limb a httlt 

 expanded, reddish outside and white inside ; stamens greenish. 

 Plant simple, erect, large, usually with six strong ribs ; fascicles 

 of spines middle-sized ; prickles short, brown, h. about 40ft, 

 usually without any branches. South America, 1690. 



C. lividus (livid), fl, white, with a yellow-green tinge towards the 

 outside, lOin. hi diameter. June. Plant erect, very sparingly 

 branched ; stems five to six-angled, constricted or jointed at 

 intervals, with thick, flat, straight, round-edged ribs, lin. or 

 more in depth. Brazil, 1868. 



C. Macdonaldla (Macdonald's).* fl. opening during the night, 

 when fully expanded 12in. to Win. diameter ; sepals bright red and 

 orange, radiating, and very numerous; petals delicate white. 

 July. Stems cylindrical, creeping, branched, slender. Honduras. 

 This is a magnificent species. (B. M. 4707.) 



