PERESXIA. 123 



this. A large specimen may be obtained in a year or two by planting 

 it in a well-drained bed of loam, in a warm, sunny house. It blossoms 

 almost all summer if allowed to make strong growth. Pretty little 

 flowering plants may be had by taking ripened growths from an 

 old plant, and rooting them, as, in the following spring they are 

 almost certain to produce flowers. (Fig. 63.) 



P. zinniaeflora. 



Stem erect, woody, branching freely, the branches bearing oval, 

 acuminate, fleshy, wav}^- edged, green leaves, with short petioles, 

 and a pair of spines in the axil of each. Spine-cushions on old 



Pig. 64. Pereskia zinniseflora. 



Stems crowded with stout, brown spines. Flowers rosy-red, ter- 

 minal on the ripened young shoots, and composed of a whorl of 

 broad, overlapping petals, with a cluster of stamens and measuring 

 nearly 2 inches across. Mexico. Grows and flowers freely if kept 

 in a warm house. (Fig 64.) 



