126 OPUNTIACKAK. 



slightly larger than the others: stipules foliaceous. ovate to reniform: sepals 

 oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 2-2.5 cm. long: corolla wanting: berries golden- 

 yellow, 4-5 cm. in diameter: seeds 4.5-5 mm. long, tuberculate at the top. 

 Hammocks. (Cuba.) 



Order OPUNTIALES. 



Succulent, typically spine-armed, herbs, shrubs, or trees, mainly 

 leafless or essentially so, or leafy rigid herbs, with more or less specialized 

 hairs. Flowers perfect. Hypanthium present. Calyx of 4 or 5, or many, 

 sepals. Corolla of 4 or 5, or many, petals. Androecium of usually many 

 stamens, in several series or groups, sometimes partially reduced to 

 staminodia. Gynoecium of 4, or 2-several, united carpels. Ovary in- 

 ferior. Fruit baccate or capsular. 



Sepals and petals 4 or 5 each, very different : leaves with entire or dissected blades : 

 erect or climbing plants, with rltrlil hairs. Fam. 1. LOASACEAK. 



Sepals and petals nearly alike, at least the latter numerous : 

 leaves typically mere scales or wanting : succulent plants, 

 usually armed with spines. Fam. 2. OPCNTIACEAB. 



FAMILY 1. LOASACEAE. LOASA FAMILY. 



Rigid herbs with barbed or stinging hairs. Leaves with entire lobed, 

 pinnatifid, or dissected blades. 



1. MENTZELIA [Plum.] L. Brittle-stemmed, mostly diffuse or reclining 

 herbs. Leaf-blades relatively broad, sinuate or lobed. Androecium without 

 staminodia. Seeds angled. 



1. M. florldana Xutt. Leaf-blades 2-9 cm. long, ovate to deltoid-ovate, tonthod 

 and 3-lobed: sepals lanceolate, often very broad at the base: petals gol. ion- 

 yellow, 15-18 mm. long: capsules 1-1.5 cm. long. Hammocks, F. K. (Bah.) 



FAMILY i.'. OPUNTIACEAE. CACTUS FAMILY. 



Succulent plants, typically spine-armed, and often with* cushions of 

 bristles or hairs at the base of the spines. Leaves mostly wanting, obso- 

 lete, or rudimentary. 



Stems not jointed : leaves obsolete : areolae without barbed bristles : flowers 



nocturnal. 



Plants erect or reclining, without aPrlal roots: fruits spiny. 1. AcAXTHOCxraot. 

 Plants climbing, with aerial roots: fruits scaly. - HVI/X-EBBCB. 



Stems jointed : leaves scale-like, deciduous : areolae with barbed 



bristles: flowers diurnal. WU. 



1. AOAKTHOCEBEU8 Britt. ft Rose. Plants with erect or n-.-lmm- 

 stems and branches, the 3-6 angles low, the areolae remote, with several spines 

 and *hort wool. Hypanthium elongate, with spine-bearing areolae. Corolla 

 large, white, the jx>tals, like the sepals, long and narrow. Berry spiny. 



1. A. pentagonus (L.) Britt. A Rose. Stems and branches sometimes 8 m. 

 long, the joints various, a 3-angled one often arising from a 5-angled one, 

 deep-green: spines 5-8, the radial bristle-like or subulate, brittle, the cent ml 

 one 1-2 cm. long: corolla white, 0-12 cm. broad: fruits oval, 6-9 cm. long, 

 deep-red, spiny. [Cereut baxaniemi* Krw.] Hammocks. F. K. (Cuba, 

 Ant.) 



