386 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



CACTUS AND GOOSEBEERY ALLIANCE. 



The Cactus Family. 



(Cactace^.) 



Fleshy (sarco cauls), leafless (rarely leafy) plants, varying 

 extremely in size and form, being globose, conical, columnar 

 or flat, generally formed of 3 or more angles, or many longi- 

 tudinal ribs, on wliich are seated bundles of spines. The 

 stems sometimes with articulated, convex or round branches 

 (as Opuntia), or flat and leafy (as Pliyllocactus and Uj^iphyUinn); 

 sometimes very slender, pendulous and cord-like. Flowers 

 solitary, sessile, regular, or sometimes oblique, and 2-lipped. 

 Petals 5 , or numerous, the exterior ones becoming colourless, 

 and forming the sepals of the calyx. Stamens numerous, 

 attached on the interior tube of the calyx or corolla ; regular 

 or wholly inclined to one side. Pistil one, or its apex lobed 

 or consisting of rays. Fruit pulpy, berry or fig-like ; often 

 with fascicles of prickles on the exterior, containing numerous 

 seeds. 



The Continent and islands of America must be considered 

 the headquarters of this extensive family ; for although 

 several species abound wild in many parts of Africa, Asia, 

 and even in the South of Europe, and being remarkable 

 in appearance are not likely to escape observation, yet 

 they are not noticed or described by ancient writers; it 

 may be inferred therefore that they are not indigenous to the 

 eastern hemisphere, but had their origin in America. In 

 that continent and its contiguous islands they are found 

 widely distributed, extending from Oregon and the Eocky 

 Mountains in the North, to Chili and Paraguay in the South; 

 they grow on rocks, in dry and often very hot places ; the 

 common Melocactus abounds on the rocky shores of the West 

 India islands. 



The family is remarkable for containing in their fleshy 

 substance a great quantity of solid rough grains (as may be 



