218 THE FLORA. 



ORDER LVIII. CACTACE^E. Indian Figs. 



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

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

 We have at the North only one native species. Many are cultivated. 

 OPUN'TIA. Indian Fig. 



Calyx tube not produced above the ovary. 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'rls. Grows on dry rocks. Joints several, 4-6', obovate. Flowers large (3-4' 

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



ORDER LX. PASSIFLOKACE^E. 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 coloreu within, deeply 5-parted, bearing a complex crown ol 

 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. UMBELLIFERJE. The Umbelworts. 



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

 no stipules, but with a broad sheathing base to the petioles ; 

 the small flowers 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, gome of them cultivated for the eatable root.... 2 



* Plante 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} dask purple 4 



8 Umbels simple, leaves simple. Little creeping wet plants a 

 3 Umbels regularly compound, the flowers not sessile. . . .c 

 3 Umbels irregular, flowers in crowded heads, sessile. . . b 

 4 Fruit decidedly flattened on the back. . . .p 

 4 Fruit flattened on the sides or not at all. . . .o 



