the stamens of the common Berberry. In these and some other cases 
on record, certain parts of the flower or leaves move, as it were spon- 
taneously, upon being stimulated in various ways, especially upon being 
slightly touched or shaken. It has been noticed by De Candolle that 
the stamens of the tribe Opuntiacex also show some degree of irrita- 
bility; and C. Darwin Esq. informs us that he met with a small species 
of Cactus, common on the arid plains about Port Desire and Port St. 
Julian in Patagonia, whose flowers possessed this property in aremark- 
able degree; and it will be well worthy the attention of “all cultivators of 
this interesting Tribe, to see whether they cannot detect a similar pro- 
perty in other species. Upon thrusting a straw or his little finger into 
the tube of the flower, he found the stamens immediately collapsed 
round it, and that in a short time the segments of the perianth also 
slowly closed together. 
DerivaTION OF THE NaMEs. 
Cactus, borrowed from kaxroc KAKTOS, some spiny plant or ceil described 
by Theophrastus, as growing especially in Sicily, and used for foo 
uaa showy. Lateritius, made of brick or tile,in allusion to the brick- 
red co 
