ORDER DI-PENTAGYNIA. 167 



into a separate order, called Grossulacece, from Orossularia, the 

 gooseberry. The species of Cactus are very numerous ; among the 

 most splendid is the night-blooming Cereus, (Cactus grandijlorus,) 

 having flowers nearly a foot in diameter, with the calyx yellow, and 

 the petals white. The blossoms begin to expand soon after the set- 

 ting of the sun, and close before its rising, never again to open. An- 

 other species, (speciossissimus,) with flowers like crimson velvet, is 

 still more superb than the grandijlorus. The different species of this 

 genus are distinguished by a diversity of common names ; when 

 they are oi a. round form, they are called Melon thistles ; when more 

 cylindrical and erect, Torch thistles ; when creeping, with lateral 

 flowers, Cereuses ; and when composed of a stem resembling flat- 

 tened leaves, Prickly pears. 



Plants of the Cactus tribe are mostly destitute of leaves, but the 

 stems often appear like a series of thick fleshy leaves, one growing 

 from the top of another. The beautiful die, called cochineal, is 

 obtained from an insect of this name, which feeds upon the Cactus 

 cochini infer. The Cactus opuntia, or true prickly pear, is found na- 

 tive in the United States.* 



The family Amygdalce of Lindley, comprehends the peach and 

 almond of the genus Amygdalus, with the plum, cherry, and pome- 

 granate. These, which were placed by Jussieu in his order Rosaceae, 

 or rose-like plants, seem very properly separated. The character- 

 istics of this tribe are a calyx 5-toothed, petals 5; stamens about 20, 

 situated on the calyx; ovary superior, one-celled. The fruit a 

 drupe. Trees or shrubs. The leaves and kernel contain prussic 

 acid.t 



Prunus is the genus which contains the various kinds of the 

 plum, cherry, and sloe ; this genus, according to ancient writers, 

 was brought from Syria into Greece, and from thence into Italy. 

 The Roman poets often notice its fruit. We have several native 

 species of it. 



The pomegranate (Ponica) is a shrubby tree, which is a native 

 of Spain, Italy, and Barbary, and flowers from June till September. 

 The Greek writers were acquainted with it, and we are told by 

 Pliny, that its fruit was sold in the neighbourhood of Carthage. It 

 is cultivated in England and in the United States ; not for its fruit, 

 which does not come to perfection so far north, but on account of 

 its large and beautiful scarlet flowers, which render it an ornamen- 

 tal plant. At Fig. 135, a, is the flower of the pomegranate, {Punica 

 granatum ;) b, represents the stamens of the same, as adhering to 

 the calyx. 



The genus Amygdalus contains the peach and the almond. The 

 latter is a native of warm countries, and seems to have been known 

 in the remotest times of antiquity. 



Order Di-pentagynia.' 



The four following orders in the class Icosandria, are included 

 under one, called Di-pentagynia, signifying two and five pistils. 



We find here an important natural order, the PomaceaeJ or apple 

 tribe. This is included in Jussieu's Rosaceae, or rose-like plants j 

 but although the flowers of the apple genus have a strong resem- 

 blance to that of the rose, the diflference in the fruit seems to render 



* For illustrations of this family, see Plate i. Figures 2, 5, and 7. 

 t Now known in chemistry as hydrocyanic acid. 

 t So called from Pomum, an apple. 



Family Amygdalas— Prunus— Pomegranate— Amygdalus— Order Di-pentagynia. 



