152 CACTUS FAMILY. 



M. Lindleyi. Cultivated, from California, usually under the name of 

 BAKTOM.V ATUKA. Plant l-2 high, with leaves lance ovate in outline 

 and di'cplv pinnatilid, tlieir lobes linear, flowers with 5 obovatc and pointed 

 bright yellow petals opening in sunshine, and the very numerous filaments all 

 slender* (I) 



M. ornta, the BAKTOMA. ORN\TA of Xuttall, a very large-flowered 

 speeies, of the plains of Nebraska and S. : 2 -4 high, with oblong-lanceolato 

 sinuate-pinnatiiid leaves, and white fragrant flowers opening at sunset or on a 

 cloudy afternoon, leafy-braeted under the ovary, and with 10 lance-ovate or 

 sputulate acute petals, about 2' long, the 5 inner narrower, and the 200 - .'300 

 filaments all slend-.T ; seeds very many and flat. Karely cult, for ornament, 

 but well worthy of it. () 2/ ? 



M. nucla, the BAKTOXIA NI-DA of Xuttall, of the same district and further 

 south, and less rare in cultivation than M. ornata, resembles it, but has Mowers 

 of half the size and often without leafy bracts under the ovary , outer liia- 

 ments mostly broadened ; seeds wing-margined. & 1L * 



3. EucxlDK of Zuccarini Pud short, containing very many minute roundish 

 or oblong seeds : flowers showy, yellow, opening in bright sunshine. 



M. 16ngipes. Cult, from Mexico and Texas under the name of EUCNIDB 

 BARTON IOIDKS ; a tender succulent ])lant, branching and usually spreading on 

 the ground, bristly, with ovate cut-toothed or slightly lobed leaves on slender 

 petioles, and Mowers mostly on still longer simple peduncles (.'3' -6' long), the 

 5 ovate petals and very many slender filaments fully 1' long. (f) 



2. BLUMENBACHIA. (Named for the distinguished German physiol- 

 ogist, Blvwenback. Includes CAIOPIIOHA Fl. all summer. 



B. insignis. Cult from Chili ; rather curious than ornamental, with 

 palmately about 5-parted leaves, small flowers with white pcta's and yellow 

 red-tipped inner appendages ; the pod obovate, slightly twisted, with 5 strongly 

 projecting placentae. 



B. lateritia. Cult, from South America, under the name of LO\SA or 

 CAIOPHORA LATER/TIA ; climbing freely ; with pinnatifid or pinnate leaves of 

 5 or more lance-ovate divisions or leaflets, which are cut-toothed or some of 

 them again pinnatifid , Mowers almost 2' across, with brick-red petals , the long 

 pod at length much twisted. (T) 



49. CACTACE^J, CACTUS FAMILY. 



Fleshy plants of peculiar aspect, mostly persistent, destitute of 

 foliage (with exception of the rare Pereskia), its place supplied by 

 the green rind of the flattened, columnar, globular, or various-shaped 

 stem ; the perfect solitary and sessile flower with calyx adherent to 

 the ovary, its lobes or sepals, the petals, and the stamens numerou*, 

 usually in several ranks, the latter mostly very numerous ; ovary 

 1-celled with several parietal placentas; style single. With several 

 slimnas ; the fruit a. 1-celled and generally many-seeded pulpy berry. 

 (See Lessons, p. 48, fig. 76, and p. 9G, fig. 197.) 



We have three or four wild species, several others in common 

 house-cultivation, and a larger number in choice collections, some 

 of which are hybrids. 



1. No tube to the flower above, the ovary : stem jointed. 



1. OPUNTIA. Stem branching, formed of successive joints, which :\ro innstly 

 ll:it, henrinp nt first sonic minute a\v!-sliaped bodies answering to leaves, 

 Which soon fall off, and tufts of barbed bristles nnd often pricklm also in their 

 axils. Flower* from the edge or bide of a joint, opening in sunshine anu 

 for more than one day. 



