PLANTS OF BERMUDA. 33 



Nat : Ord : 32 Cactacea;. 



Usually leafless plants, with peculiar jointed, fleshy, angular or 

 thickened stems, on which the leaves have been transformed into 

 bundles of spines ; flowers solitary, arishig direct from the stem ; 

 calyx and corolla usually indistinguishable, consisting of several 

 series of fleshy, imbricated segments, which adhere to the one -celled 

 ovary ; stamens very numerous, united at base with the calyx and 

 corolla ; styles united ; fruit a many-seeded berry. 



The peculiar appearance of the plants of this order is usually 

 sufflcient to distinguish them from otliers, and sev(;ral species arc 

 thus cultivated as curiosities. First of these is the Turk's Cap [Melo 

 cactus comm/oiis), which ma}'' frequently be seen adorning the top of 

 stone gateways and in other similar dry situations ; the stem is 

 globose, about a foot high, with twelve to twenty vertical, sj)iny 

 ridges, the top is woolly and half conceals a number of small crim- 

 son flowers. Very different in appearance is the night -flowering 

 Ocreus {0. gramUfiorus), whose long rope-like stems ascend trees, 

 walls, &c., and after sunset unfolds i3erhax)s the most magnificent 

 flower in the whole Vegetable Kingdom, eight inches in diameter, 

 waxlike and fragrant, but unfortunately closing before daybreak. 

 C. triangularis, with triangular stems, is otherwise similar in habit. 

 Cactus coccinellifora, on which the cocliineal insect Lives and feeds ; 

 Feircxia Bleo, a shrab VAth natuKil, oval leaves, and rose-coloured 

 flowers; also the Barbadoes Clooseberry (P. amleata), with climbing 

 spiny stems and leafy, edible berries, are not uncommon in gardens. 



I. OPUNTIA. 



1. 0, Vulgaris (Prickly Pear). A prostrate, spreading, or creeping 

 shrub, with jointed branches; joints fleshy, ovate, compressed, 

 bearing dense tufts of slender, barbed bristles, and (in exposed situa- 

 tions) three to six long awl- shaped spines, the latter one to two 

 inches long, yellow ; flowers sessile on edge of joints ; sepals ovate, 

 XJointed ; petals leathery ; stamens very numerous ; fruit crimson, 

 obovate, two inches diameter, edible. Distribution, Southern Europe 

 and America ; habitat, sandy shores, very common. Flowers yellow ; 

 July to September. 



The Gooseberry {liibcs grossularia) and Red Currant [R. rubra), 

 which belong to tlie nearly allied order Grossulasea, have been in- 

 troduced locally, but Avith indifferent success, owing to a disposition 

 to form too much wood. 



Nat: Ord: 33 Umhellifera; . 



Herbaceous i^lants, usually with erect, hollow stems, and alternate 

 compound leaves, the petioles sheathing around the stem ; flowers 

 small, in simple or compound umbels, usually suj^ported by leafy 

 bracts ; calyx-tube surrounding the ovary, the limb small or none ; 

 petals five, minute, white or yellow, inserted alternately with the five 

 stamens beneath a disk, which surmounts the two-celled ovary ; 

 ovules one in each cell ; styles two, distinct ; fruit separating when 

 ripe into twin, seed-like divisions, which remain hanging from the 

 split, hair-like, prolongation of the axis, each division (carpel) con- 



