2>J4 T^^^ We^t American Scientist. 



numerous sepals, petals, and stamens, usually in many series, the 

 cohering bases of all of which coat the inferior one- celled many- 

 ovaled ovary, and above it form a tube or cup, nectariferous at 

 base. Style i , with several or numerous stigmas. Fruit a pulpy 

 or rarely dry one-celled berry, with numerous campylotropous 

 seeds (without or with some albumen), on several parietal plac- 

 entae.' 



There are but few genera in the family, but over a thousand 

 species are known, and new^ ones are being continually discovered 

 in little known portions of this continent. The late Dr. George 

 Engelmann, of St- Louis, Mo., has been the leading American 

 student and author, and to him the world owes the most of its 

 literature pertaining to this order. 



It is the author's purpose to compile from various sources in 

 this article, adding from his own notes, such matter as may be of 

 popular interest, or as yet unrecorded. The collection of living 

 cactuses in the Shaw Botanic Gardens, St. Louis, Mo., is the 

 most important collection to a botanist in the United States. The 

 collection of A. Blanc, Philadelphia, is the largest private collec- 

 tion, while thet hird largest collection, in this country, is that of 

 about five hundred varieties, lately sold to the Coronado Beach 

 Co., of San Diego, by the writer, and now planted (in part) in one. 

 of the parks on Coronado Beach. Several new species as yet un- 

 described are in the writer's private collection and herbarium. 



ANHALONIUM, ENGELMANN. 



The plants of this curi' us genus are simple, tuberculated and 

 spineless; the tubercles subfoliaceous, triangular and more or less 

 groved. Flowers senile above the axis of the present year's 

 grow^th, medium sized, white, pink or ro^e colored. Seeds large, 



p^>. ^. 



\-^ 



'^-^m 



ANHALONIUM FISSUKATUM. ENGELVf. 



