79 8 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



largest of Mammillarias ; it is globular, 6in. or 8in. in diameter, 

 and bright green ; the flowers, which are 3m. across, are bright 

 rose and pale purple. M. fissurata is very remarkable ; it 

 somewhat resembles a top with its thick, short tubercles and 

 long woody root ; it is very rare, but is catalogued by Messrs. 

 Cannell and Sons under the name of Anhalonium fissurata. 

 M. gracilis is pretty and distinct, its numerous stems forming 



a. neat little 

 cushion ; it is a 

 profuse blos- 

 somer, the flowers 

 being yellow. M. 

 macromeris (Fig. 

 535) more re- 

 sembles an orna- 

 mented button 

 than a plant ; it 

 is 1 Jin. across 

 and iin. high ; 

 when old it forms 

 large clusters ; 

 the flowers, 

 which appear in 

 the centre, are 

 small, and either 

 white or pink in 

 colour. M. san- 

 guine a has a 

 short, thick stem 

 covered with fine 

 red spines, giving 

 it a brush-like 

 appearance. 

 The flowers 

 are bright 

 crimson, and 

 many open to- 

 gether. M.pusilla 

 is small and very 

 beautiful ; it is 

 2 in. high, the 

 dark green tubercles being covered with fine twisted spines 

 and tufts of white wool ; flowers yellow, streaked with red. 

 Other species are : M. dasyacantha, M. densa, M. echinata, 

 M. echinus, M. elongata, M. elegans, M. Grahami, M. missouriensis, 

 M. pectinata, M. Scheerii, and M. Wrightii. 



Melocactus (Melon Cactus) is without doubt one of the most 

 peculiar of all the Cacti, being round and, as its name implies, 



Fig. 533. — Mammillarja dolichocentra. 



