CACTUS FAMILY. . 196 



* * Leafy-stemmed, rather tall-growing; leaves and whole plant 

 smooth and naked. 



+- Leaves ovate or oblong, not heart-shaped, very small (!' or less long). 



B. fuchsio/des, Hook. So-called because the bright scarlet flowers, 

 hanging on a slender drooping stalk, may be likened to those of Fuchsia ; 

 the crowded and small green and glossy ovate leaves only a little unequal- 

 sided at base, serrate with bristle-tipped teeth ; stem tall and strict. 

 Mexico. 



B. fo/iosa, HBK. Lower, stem diffuse ; leaves oblong and smaller, 

 obtuse at the base, strongly setose-serrate ; flowers numerous, white 

 tinged with pink. S. America. 



>- -- Leaves obliquely heart-shaped or half heart-shaped at base. 

 ** Almost entire. 



B. nit/da, Dryander. Leaves obliquely heart-shaped and glossy, green 

 both sides, and with large, light rose-colored flowers. Jamaica. 



B. sanguinea, Raddi. Leaves large and fleshy, obliquely ovate-heart- 

 shaped, having a narrow revolute margin, pale green above, red beneath, 

 as are the stalks ; the flowers white, not showy. Brazil. 



B. maculata, Raddi. Cult, under the name of B. ARGYROsrfGMA, both 

 names referring to the silvery-white spots scattered over the upper face 

 of the leaves, which are narrower and more oblong than in the preced- 

 ing, purplish or crimson beneath, the margin cartilaginous but not revo- 

 lute, the flowers white or flesh-colored. Brazil. 



B. coccinea, Ruiz. Flowers scarlet, as the name denotes (but cult, as 

 B. EtBRA), and oblong half heart-shaped leaves, glossy above, and green 

 both sides or purple at the margin, which is a little wavy-toothed. 

 Flowers long, with red pedicels, wax-like. Tall. Peru. 



++ *+ Prominently serrate or crenate. 



B. incarnata, Link & Otto (including B. METALLICA). From Mexico ; is 

 2 high, with swollen joints, sinuate-serrate green or bronze leaves on 

 short stalks, and large, rose-colored, nodding flowers. 



B. semperflorens, Link & Otto. Stem stout and fleshy ; leaves ovate, 

 subcordate and rather acute, crenate-undulate or serrate and ciliate, 

 glossy green ; flowers rather large, white or rose-colored, hi small axillary 

 clusters near the top of the stem. S. Brazil. 



LIL CACTACKfi. CACTUS FAMILY. 



Fleshy plants of peculiar aspect, mostly persistent and des- 

 titute of foliage; the leaves supplied by the green rind of 

 the flattened, columnar, globular, or various-shaped stem ; the 

 perfect solitary and sessile flower with calyx adherent to 

 the ovary, its lobes or sepals, the petals, and the stamens 

 numerous, usually in several ranks, the latter mostly very 

 numerous ; ovary 1-celled with several parietal placentae ; style 

 single, with several stigmas ; the fruit a 1-celled and generally 

 many-seeded pulpy berry. (Lessons, Figs. Ill, 229.) Nu- 

 merous species, all but one native to the New World. Many 

 are cultivated, but their study requires special knowledge, and 

 only the leading group-forms are specified here. 



