SELECT SPECIES. 25 



■Xintiseus deEcribed it under the name Cactus Mamillaris, and states -with 



. truth that it is covered with bearded papillae like the Meeembryanthemum, 

 has a milky juice like the Euphorbias, and the fructification of the Cactus, 

 remarks which would apply to many other members of the genus. With 

 M. simplex, M. discolor, and a supposed variety of the former named prolifera, 

 which is now referred to M. fla vescens i).C., Haworth founded the genus 

 Mamillaria, which has since been adopted by nearly all writers, though the 



"number of species has increased a hundredfold since his time. It is a native 

 of tropical America. Stem simple, globular, 4 to 6 inches high ; tubercles 



■ conical, small, crowned with a white down and two series of spines, the outer 

 about twelve, white, the inner four to six, strong and reddish in colour ; 



-flowers small, greenish white. 



M. STELLA-AUliATA, Martius. — " Golden Star" ia a euphonious 

 and appropriate name for one of the most attractive of the genus, 



-and one that is a great favourite with all who are familiar with 

 these plants. When in good condition the whole plant is covered 

 with star-like rosettes of yellow spines, which impart a very distinct 



. appearance to it, especially when in contrast with the white-spined forms. 



.It is regarded as identical with M. tenuis of Deoandolle, Introduced in 1835, 

 Stem 2 inches high, half an inch in diameter, freely branched and dwarf ; 

 tubercles short and green ; spines in a flat spreading star-like rosette, very 

 numerous, one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch long, yellowish tipped with 



Teddish brown. Flowers small and white. 



M. WiLDlAiTA, Otto. — A charming species introduced from Mexico to 

 Prance in 1835 ; but it did not make its appearance in English gardens until 

 some years later, and even now it is not very generally known. It is one of 

 the most select, and should be included in the smallest collections. A crested 

 variety has been obtained and deserves the notice of those who admire these 



. abnormal forms. G-enerally very dwarf, 3 to 4 inches high, but occasionally 

 taller and more cylindrical, closely surrounded by offsets which are freely 

 produced. Tubercles conical, dull dark green ; spines in two series, the outer 

 -very fine, white, and closely spreading, the others much fewer and larger, 

 yellowish, and hooked at the apex ; flowers rose-coloured, borne at different 



■periods of the year and rather frequently. 



The species named in this list include some of the best of those 

 cultivated in England, but there are many others that well deserve 

 attention if it is desired to form a large collection. M. phellosperma in 

 j)articular is extremely pretty, the stars of spines being large and neat, 

 while the central spines are hooked at the apex like M. Grahami and 

 -others, from which character it is named the Fish-hook Cactus. There 

 is also a beautiful and delicate form in the Oxford Botanic Garden 

 named M. rosea-longiseta, which has very small, closely set, white spines. 

 M. senilis, a dwarf species densely covered with very fine hair-like spines, 

 is also an attractive plant, but rather rare in England. The size of the 



