MESEMBRYACEiE. 



139 



mens many, arising from the calyx. — Shrubs or herbaceous suc- 

 culent plants, with opposite, simple, fleshy leaves ; principally 

 natives of the Cape. 



MESEMBRY ANTHEM UM. (Fig Marygold.) 



Gen. Char. (Icosandria Polygyria.) Calyx five-cleft ; petals 

 many, linear; stamens and styles many; capsules turbinate, fleshy, 

 inferior, many-seeded. 



These plants having flowers which only expand in the 

 sun, the name arises from the Greek for midday. This 

 genus of Cape plants has a very extensive assortment of 

 species, which require a dry greenhouse, but otherwise little 

 care and attention ; they are very singular plants, with thick 

 leaves of grotesque shapes, but the flowers of most of them 

 are very beautiful, the petals of brilliant colours and of a 

 lasting nature, with a handsome centre; they only open to 

 the sun. The species are so numerous, amounting to several 

 hundreds, that it is useless to mention their names; if this 

 genus be a favourite, the amateur may easily obtain a list, 

 and make a selection of those having handsome flowers or 

 peculiar leaves ; they are often divided into sections accord- 

 ing to their growth, as those that have no stem, or very 

 short, and the leaves usually large; those having a stem 

 and clustered leaves; those with the stem prostrate or 



