CACTUS FAMILY 167 



with about 8 petals. Fruit about 1 in. long, crimson when ripe, eat- 

 able. Dry rocks and sandy ground, from Massachusetts south along 

 the coast. 



2. 0. Rafinesquii Engelm. Prostrate, green. Leaves l-} in. long, 

 awl-shaped, spreading; bristles often intermixed with a few small 

 spines and a larger one |-1 in. long. Flowers larger than in No. 1 

 and with 10-12 petals. Fruit about 1^ in. long, much tapered at the 

 base. In poor soil. 



3. 0. polyacantha Haw. Prostrate, light green. Leaves very small, 

 with bristles and .3-10 spines in their axils. Flowers 2-3 in. in diam- 

 eter. Fruit dry and spiny. Wisconsin, S. and W. 



II. PHYLLOC ACTUS Link. 



Stems cylindrical when old, with long, flattened, fleshy but 

 leaf-like, sinuate or serrate branches. Flowers nearly or quite 

 regular, from the notches in the margins of the joints. 



1. P. Ackermanni Solm. D. Flowers very show^y, bright red. 

 Perianth tube shorter than the petals. Sepals scattered, small and 

 bract-like. Petals many, 2-3 in. long, widely spreading, somewhat 

 channeled, sharp-pointed. Cultivated from Mexico. 



III. CEREUS L. 



Stem more or less prismatic but strongly ridged, with bun- 

 dles of spines borne on the ridges ; sometimes prostrate or trail- 

 ing, sometimes erect, columnar, and 50 or 60 ft. high. Flowers 

 usually showy, borne on the sides of the stem, generally wdth 

 a rather long perianth tube, which is covered outside w4th scale- 

 like sepals, usually with tufts of wool in their axils. Petals 

 many, mostly long and spreading. 



1. C. speciosus K. Sch. Stems 2-3 ft. high, with 3-4 broad-winged 

 and sinuate ridges. Flowers open in the daytime and lasting several 

 days, red or crimson, very showy. Petals longer than the tube, stamens 

 white, drooping, very numerous. Commonly cultivated from Mexico. 



2. C. grandiflorus M\\\. Night-Blooming Cerkus. Stems long, 

 climbing by aerial roots, nearly cylindrical, but with 5 or nu^re blunt 

 angles. Flowers very showy, opening only for one night, wilting early 

 in the morning, extremely fragrant. Sepals dull yellow. Petals pearly 

 white, spreading, G-8 in. long. Cultivated from Mexico. 



