MAMMILLARIA—MELOC ACTUS. 



95 



M. Formosa.— Besembles a flattened ball, with white 

 spines. 



M. gracilis.— A " Thimble Cactus." Tufted growth ; 



flowers tawny yellow. 

 M. Haageana. — Stout stems covered with tufts of 



spines; flowers small ; bright carmine rose. 

 M. longimammA. — Stems dwarf, covered with long 



spines ; flowers large and handsome ; citron 



yellow. 



M. macromeris. — Dwarf ; long tubercles, furnished 



with spines ; flowers carmine. 

 M. micromeris.— The " Button Cactus," so called 



from its resemblance to a silk embroidered button ; 



flowers small ; whitish. 

 M. pectinata. — Dwarf, globose stems ; tubercles 



bearing star-like tufts of stiff spines ; flowers 



large, yellow ; desirable species. (Fig. 119.) 

 M. plttmosa. — Besembles a ball of cotton ; most 



attractive. 



M. pulchra.— Globose stem; egg-shaped tubercles, 



and tufts of spines set in whitish wool ; flowers 



medium ; bright-rose. 

 M. pttstt.t.a . — Small, tufted plant; spines thin and 



bristle - like ; flowers yellowish white, striped 



red. 



M. raphidacantha.— Needle-spined nipple cactus ; 

 flowers purplish violet. 



M. recur va. — Dwarf stem, with centre spines re- 

 curved ; free blooming. 



M. sastguinea.— Stout stem, densely clothed with 

 tufts of pale yellow spines; flowers freely pro- 

 duced ; colour bright crimson. 



M. Schelhasi. — A pretty, little, tufted species ; 

 flowers white, lined with rose. 



M. stella -atjrata.— Belongs to the Th im ble Cactus 

 group, and considered one of the prettiest ; spines 

 numerous, and rich golden yellow in colour ; 

 flowers small, whitish, followed by rose-coloured, 

 berry-like fruits. 



M. tetracantha. — Stem egg-shaped, and covered 

 with long white spines ; flowers bright-rose. 



M. viridis. — Stem dwarf, with hair-like spines ; 

 flowers pale yellow. 



M. Wildiana. — Small-stemmed, very attractive 

 species ; flowers rose-coloured. 



Fig. 119. Majoiillabia pectinata. 



MELOCACTUS. 



So-called from the fact of the stems of the plants being of the form of a Melon. 

 Although not particularly ornamental, they are yet distinct from all other Cactuses, 

 more especially as regards their habit of flowering. Each stem is surmounted by 

 a cap, this forming the flower-head, and constantly increases in height while the stem 

 remains stationary, till eventually it resembles a bottle-brush. The flowers are small 

 and are followed by |bright red cherry-like berries, containing black shining seeds. 

 Plants are raised from seeds and increased by offsets. Coming from the "West Indies, 



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