CACTALS. 493 
kinds; the lower are furnished with spines, the upper are developed 
into branches and flowers. Fig. 441 represents Mammillaria ele- 
phantidens, one of this genus, cultivated in greenhouses. 
e flowers of the Cactus are regular and hermaphrodite} their 
envelopes are composed of a great number of divisions, the exterior 
of which have a great analogy to sepals, whilst the internal ones 
x 
= k 
tu i) sg 
. Fees 
Fig. 441,—Mammillaria elephantidens. 
resemble petals; it is not always possible to find the precise limit 
tween the corolla and calyx. The stamens are very numerous, 
and have bilocular anthers ; their valves facing the centre of the 
flower ; the ovary inferior, and surmounted by a lengthened style, 
divided into several stigmatic branches. This ovary is unilocular, 
and has as many parietal placente on its interior as it has stig- 
matic branches. Upon each of these placente are found a number 
of anatropal ovules. The fruit is a pulpy berry. The seeds are 
nestled in the pulp, and have a straight or curved embryo, and 
little or no albumen. | 
If we examine more closely some members of this interesting 
