280 FLORA OF TEXAS. 



smooth and shining, indistinctly tuberculated ; embryo 

 curved or hooked, with the foliaceous cotyledons buried in 

 the large albumen. — Dr. Encjelmann. 



E. BICOLOR. Stem -i'-G' high, 2-3' in diameter; grooves 

 ratlier shallow ; floral areolce close to the spiniferous one, 

 without the intervening glands which are so conspicuous 

 in some other species ; the 4 upper radial spines about an 

 inch long and flat ; all the others rounded, red, paler at 

 both ends ; the lowest is the weakest and shortest one, and 

 often somewhat curved; upper central spine 15"-20" long, 

 the 3 others shorter; the lower one flat above, rounded 

 below, often reddish like the lower radial spines; /7o?6'er 

 between 2' and 3' long ; petals bright purple or rose-purple, 

 gradually paler in hx^Wng', filaments springing from the 

 whole tube down to its base. — Engelmann. 



E. TiRiDESCENS, Nutt. One foot high, 9-10' in diam- 

 eter; they are usually simple, but sometimes they branch 

 from the base, forming quite a pile of prickly balls ; flowers 

 disposed in a circle around the vertex, greenish, 1^' long, 

 1:^' in diameter, tube inside naked at the base; stamina 

 short; style V long, more deeply divided than in other 

 species ;/;vf«7 8"-10" long, of the shape and taste of a goose- 

 berry, bluish green ; radial spines 18-20, about 6"-8" long; 

 central spine about 18' long. 



50. CURRANT FAMILY. Order, Grossulaceje. 



Spiny or unarmed shrubs, with alternate palmately 

 veined and lobed leaves, without stipules, and with axillary 

 racemose or chisteved flowers ; calyx-tube adherent to the 

 ovary, the limb 5-lobed ; jjetals 5, small; stamens 5 ; ovary 

 1-celled, with 2 parietal placentae; styles more or less 

 united; frtiit a 1-celled, many-seeded berry; seeds anatro- 

 pous, with the minute embryo at the base of hard albumen. 



