248 MAJsnsr, 



ous, small. — Herbs. Leaves alternate. Flowers axillary, solitary, 

 yellow or rarely white. 



A genus of several American species, with a few spread over Asia and Africa. 



1. J. YiLLOSA Lam. {Enum. No. 140.) An erect perennial, pubes- 

 cent or liairy, attaining 2° -3°, and often hard, almost woody, at the 

 base. Leaves from oblong- to linear-lanceolate, 1^' - 3' long, narrowed 

 into a short petiole. Flowers almost sessile in the axils. Calyx- tube 

 about h.' long, when in flower; the segments ovate-lanceolate, about 

 3" long. Petals broad, rather longer than the calyx. Capsule nearly 

 cylindrical, I'-la' long, 8-ribbed, pubescent, contracted at the base 

 into a short pedicel. Seeds minute. — J. oetofila, DC. 



Common in taro ponds, and in wet piaces. Wldelj' distributed over the warmer 

 regions of America as well as Asia. 



Order XXXIII. CACTACE^. 



Succulent shrubby plants, peculiar in habit, with spinous buds, 

 usually leafless : the stems either globular and many-angled, columnar 

 with several angles, or flattened and jointed. Flowers usually large 

 and showy. Calyx of several or numerous sepals, imbricated, cohe- 

 rent with and crowning the 1-celled ovary, or covering its whole sur- 

 face ; the inner usually confounded with the indefinite petals. Stamens 

 indeflnite, with long filaments, cohering with the base of the petals. 

 Styles united : stigmas and parietal placentae several. Fruit a beriy. 

 Seeds numerous, with a curved or fleshy and rounded embryo, and 

 little or no albumen. — All American. 



Numerous species are cultivated, both for their peculiarities of form, and for the 

 showy flowers. One (a species of Opuntia) has been much used for fencing, and is now 

 established over lai'ge parts of the dryer and more barren regions of the Islands. — For a 

 good popular description of these plants, see "-^ Field, Forest, and Garden Botany,^'' by 

 Prof. A. Gray. 



Order XXXIV. PASSIFLORACE.^. 



Herbs, shrubs, or (rarely) trees, with watery juice, and usually 

 climbing by tendrils ; with alternate, entire, or palmatelylobed leaves, 

 mostly with stipules ; and hermaphrodite or unisexual, often showy, 

 regular flowers (in Paprnjacex the male and female dissimilar). Calj'x 

 mostly of 5 sepals, united below, free from the one-celled ovary ; the 

 throat bearing 5 petals and a filamentous crown. Stamens as many 

 as the sepals, monadelphous and adhering to the stalk of the ovary, 

 which has usually 3 club-shape styles or stigmas, and as many pari- 

 etal placentae. Fruit fleshy or berry-like. Seeds numerous, with a 

 brittle sculptured testa, enclosed in pulp. Embryo surrounded by a 

 thin albumen. — Hei-e belong the showy Passion-flowers, much culti- 

 vated for ornament, and several species of which yield edible fruits 

 known as Grauadilla, &c. 



Our only genus belongs to a section of the Order, having but slight aflinities with the 

 true Passion-flowers. 



[To be continued.] 



