POLYPETALOUS EXOGENOUS PLANTS. 277 



ones much exserted, rising in a long funnel-shaped tube 

 above the corolla; stigma 6-cleft ; flower 9 inches long, and 

 6 in diameter; calyX'i\\}o^ smooth, with a very few minute 

 spines at the base, and a few imbricated scales scattered 

 at intervals from base to summit, where they form a petal- 

 like crown supporting the pure white corolla. Stem 3°-4° 

 high, sometimes 4-angled at the base, but upper joints 

 3-angled, narrow at the base ; whole plant rather recum- 

 bent; spines few, in clusters of 7, six 4 lines long, the 

 seventh about V long, curved upward; floiuer white, very 

 fragrant, vesperine, blooming but once. On hills near La 

 Grange. Introduced into gardens by Mrs. T. W. House; 

 named for Mrs. Vasmer. — Author. 



\ 



OPUNTIA, Tourn. Prickly Pear. 



Sepals and petals not united into a tube ; stamens in- 

 serted into the base of the petals ; style cylindrical ; stigma 

 3-8-lobed ; seeds with thin albumen ; stems with flat or 

 rarely cylindrical joints ; leaves fleshy, with tufts of bristly 

 hairs and commonly strong spines in their axils, deciduous. 



0. VULGARIS. Stem prostrate; joints obovate, pale; 

 spines few and short; fruit nearly smooth. 



0. STENOPETALA. Joiiits 7-8' in diameter, pulvilli about 

 1\' or 11' apart on the surface, much crowded toward the 

 edges, with much dirty-white wool, short dark-brown bris- 

 tles, and very dark, almost black spines, lighter at the tip; 

 the stouter spines \\'-l' long, flat on the upper, rounded 

 on the lower surface, often much covered ; ovary 9" long; 

 leaves or sepals on the tubercles deciduous, very slender, 

 2'-2|-'long: sepals and petals 4"-6" long, not more than 

 1' long at the base, very slender, acuminate, fleshy ; sepals 

 greenish red, petals orange; stamens numerous, half as 

 long as the petals; style very much inflated in the middle, 



