Fn OIDALtt! ] 



MESEMBR1 \< 1..1. 



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Order CC. MESEMBRYACE I . I 



1 <j Om. 315. 1780 : THct Sc A it 16 B28. fl820 D( /• • |] 



" ..Ofn.129. MwembiVaceiUd.pr.xxirtl I 



DIAGNOSIS. /' ..'.,' /• 



Shrubby or herbaceous succulent plants, with opposite simple leav, & Flowers com 



plete, often showy, always terminal, although, from the shortness of the branches on 



which they grow, apparenUy lateral; often opening only under the influen f sunshine 



and closing in its absence. Sepals definite, usually 



5, bul varying from i to 8, more or less combined 



at ili.- base, either cohering with the ovary, or dis"- 



tinct from it, equal or unequal, with a quincuncial 



or valvate testivation. Petals indefinite, coloured, 



m many rows. Stamens arising from the calyx, 



indefinite, distinct ; anthers oblong, incuml 



Ovary inferior, or nearly superior, many-celled or 



one-celled ; stigmas numerous, distinct Ovules 00, 



■mphitropal, attached by cords to a central pla- 

 centa, which is either wholly free, or united to the 

 i dgi - of the carpels, or sometimes spread over the 

 of the cavityofeach celL Capsule surrounded 

 the fleshy calyx, many-celled or I -celled, 

 opening in a Btellate manner at the apex, or when 

 free from the calyx splitting at the base. - 



definite, or more imonly indefinite, attached to 



fhe inner angle of the cells ; embryo lying on the 



", , "~" 1 mea'y albumen, curved or spiral, with 



radicle next the hilum. 

 These are the most perfect of the Ficoidal \l 

 him.-.., for die carpels are numerous and consoli- 

 dated, and (lie apparatus of the corolla abundant 

 and richly coloured. In this respect, indeed, 

 Ficoids approach the Torch-thistles, although other- 

 """',-" d, fferent. The} are to Ficoidala what 

 tjirslanes or Cloveworts are to Silenals,the princ. s 

 '''''"■'' ;•';•'': One of the most singular facts connected with them is th 



nature ot their placenta, which s< -times occupies the centre, to which th 



' carpeiiarj leaves are closely applied, Bometimes runs up the back, all 

 "W"»e centre as m Mesembryanthemum acinaciforme (Se. / , vol ii. 



,\ , r,.' : "", m t """'""" a absolutely I.-,,-, as in Lewisia. This curi. i how- 



TCr.oittersa httle from the rest of tlie Order in its perfect!) -,•.!!■ . 



narei) per.gynous stamens. I. is however near Glinus, and th< 

 ',.'• !\ wcss,t .y • r '- ;ir,ll "~ '« :i " ,1 "' type of a p< culiar Order. Thi 

 ricoias ex nbit remarkable phenomena, closing when placed in wat . 



n«i dried, a hygrometrical qualit) doubtless connected with their n 



" i " ,;, ;" s "' ' , " ,,lr . v places of southern Africa, the) on!) expand and d 



"ens when ran, falls to relax their tissue, for then only would th. la I 



germi nate Ins is more especial!) evident in M. Tripolium, which hi 

 me name .>t Flores Candise. 



0.vi IU ''"w' SMldy p,ains of th< ' '' ' Ho P e nourish • th,- 



"<i. A. Jew are found in the south of Europe, north oi Wrica, < 



"in the Ninth Seas. 



Ehe succulent leaves of a few are eaten, as ibryanthemu 



& C £rSto«ia^! Semb '" yanthen,Um '• Us fn ' ;t - -' ; ' 



2 v 



'V 





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l C( \ III 



