218 THE FLOE A. 



OkderLVIII. CACTACE^. Indian Figs. 



Plants with green, fleshy, angular or jointed, nearly leaflestj stems, 

 armed with numerous prickles and terrible spines. Flowers often showy. 

 We have at the ]S[orth onl}^ one native species. Many are cultivated. 

 OPUN'TIA. Indian Fig. 



Calyx tube not produced above the ovar}^ Stock composed of fleshy, 

 mostly flattened joints. Sepals, petals, and stamens indefinite, at the top 

 of the ovary. Style 1, with 4-10 stigmas. Leaves minute, alternate, with 

 tufts of prickles in their axils. 



O. vulga'ris. Grows on dry rocks. Joints several, 4-6', obovate. Flowers large (3-4' 

 broad). Petals 7-10, yellow. Fruit egg-shaped, crimson, eatable. 



Oeder LX. PASSIFLOEACE^. Passionworts. 



Plants often woody, climbing by tendrils, with alternate leaves and 

 leafy stipules. Flowers perfect, of wonderful structure, as seen in 

 PASSIFLO'RA. Passion-flower. 



Calyx colored within, deeply 5-parted, bearing a complex crown of 

 colored filaments on the throat, and the 5 petals above them. Ovary 

 raised on a stipe, with the 3 stigmas and 5 anthers. Fruit a pulpy berry. 



Order LXIII. UMBELLIFER.E. The Umbelworts. 



Herbs with hollow, furrowed stems, simple or compound leaves ; 

 no stipules^ but with a broad sheathing base to the j/etioles; 

 the smsill Jiowers in umbels, and the calyx wholly adherent to the ovary; 

 the petals and stamens 5, standing on the top of the ovary; 

 the styles 2, and the fruit dry, its 2 carpels seed-like and separating 

 marked outside by ribs and furrows running lengthwise. 



Analysis of the Genera. 



* Plants growing wild, some of them cultivated for the eatable root 2 



* Plants never wild, but cultivated for their fruit, &c q 



2 Flowers white, rarely rose-colored or cream-colored 3 



2 Flowers yellow, or (in one instance) dark purple 4 



3 Umbels simple, leaves simple. Little creeping wet plants^ ...a 



8 Umbels regularly compound, the flowers not sessile c 



3 Umbels irregular, flowers in crovvded heads, sessile h 



4 Fruit decidedly flattened on the back p 



4 Fruit flattened on the sides or not at all o 



