256 



CACTACEAE. 



Several other species of Opuntia were planted at Mount Langton by 

 Lefroy; in 1914 ten species were sent to Paget Eectory from the New York 

 Botanical Garden. The plant recorded by H. B. Small as Opuntia candelabra 

 has not been identified. 



Nopalea cochinellifera (L.) Salm-Dyck, Cochineel Cactus, a nearly 

 smooth flat-jointed' shining cactus, differing from Opuntia in having the 

 stamens much longer than the small petals, is commonly grown in gardens. 

 This plant supports the cochineel insect in tropical America, where it is 

 abundant. [Opuntia cochinellifera Mill.] 



Seven species of the Mexican genus Pereskiopsis, cacti with broad leaves, 

 similar to PeresMa, were planted at Paynter's Vale in 1912 and were growing 

 well in 1913. 



2. HYLOCEREUS Britton & Eose. 



Climbing or trailing cacti, with 3-winged or 3-angled, mostly stout stems 

 and branches emitting aerial roots, but bearing no leaves, the areoles borne on 

 the wings or angles and armed with few or several short spines. Flowers 

 nocturnal, very large, regular, the ovary and tube bearing large, ovate to 

 linear-lanceolate scales, the perianth-segments numerous, linear or narrowly 

 lanceolate, widely spreading, the outer green, the inner mostly bright white. 

 Stamens very many. Fruit a scaly berry, not spiny nor bristly. [Greek, 

 forest-cereus.] About 20 species, native of tropical America. Type species: 

 Hylocereus triangularis (L.) Britton S Eose. 



1. Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) 

 Britton & Eose. Night-blooming 

 Ceeeus. (Fig. 278.) Stems stout, 

 fleshy, glabrous, sometimes 20° long, 

 often climbing on trees, the branches 

 l°-4° long, green, 3-winged, the 

 wings flat, V-V broad, coarsely cre- 

 nate, their margins with a narrow 

 horny border; spines 2-5 at each 

 areole, brownish, li"-2" long; flow- 

 ers about 1° long, the tube about IV 

 thick, rather shorter than the limb, 

 bearing several linear-lanceolate 

 scales li'-3' long; ovary l'-2' long, 

 bearing several ovate, acute scales 1' 

 long or less; style stout, about as 

 long as the stamens; berry oblong, 

 red, pulpy, about 3' long, covered 

 with ovate scales. [Cereus tricosta- 

 tus Gosselin; C. undatios Haw.; 

 Cereus triangularis of Lefroy, Eeade 

 and Jones; Cereus compressus of Moore.] 



Banks and thickets, escaped from cultivation ; common in gardens. Native of 

 Mexico. Naturalized in Florida and tne West Indies. 



Selenicereus grandifidrus (L.) Britton & Eose, Queen of the Night, 

 West Indian, a climbing species, with round fluted prickly stems, its large 

 white, bell-shaped, hairy flowers opening at night, is commonly planted. 

 [Cactus grandiflorus L.] 



Epiphyllum latifrons Zucc, Broad Epiphtllum, Mexican, a large, entirely 

 spineless flat-stemmed cactus, with large white nocturnal funnelform flowers, 

 is occasional in gardens. [Phyllocactus latifrons Link.] 



