»5 



in the Kew collection by a specimen 12 feet hig'a and of considerable age. 

 It has huge elliptical flattened branches 12 to 20 inches long and 8 to 10 

 broad, with a few spines, the lower older portion of the stem being cylindrical, 

 woody, and about 8 inches in diameter. It is a South American plant, has 

 orange-coloured flowers, and has been described by various authors under 

 the name of O. maxima, Cactus elongatus, and Cactus decumanus. 









Eg. 15.— Opnntia Salmiana. 



O. DiLLBNil {Cactus Dillenii). — One of the species cultivated at Bltham 

 in 1732, being described and figured in DDlenius' work as Tuna major spinis. 

 validis flavicantibus iiore sulphureo. It has flat stems with strong yellow 

 spines, and bears yellow flowers 3 to 4 inches in diameter. This plant is 

 grown in Teneriffie for its spines, which are employed to secure the clusters 

 of cochineal insects to O. Tuna at the " sowing " period already noticed. In 

 a group of flowers painted by Miss North at Teneriffe, and now in the North 

 Gallery at Kew, this species is well represented, several views of the cochineal 



