SUCCULENT PLANTS. 



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ornamental in flower are C. undulata ("Bot. Mag.," t. 7931, figured from 

 Cambridge) : the leaves are white with apex undulated ; G. coruscans 

 (fig. 81), freely branching, dwarf, each shoot terminating in an in- 

 florescence ; and G. orbicalata, erect-branching, leaves white. 



Among the curious species are C. gracilis, with slender branches and 

 spindle-shaped leaves ; C. Eckloniana (fig. 82), C. tricuspidata, with 

 narrow white leaves, ending in three points ; C. teretifolia, with cylindrical 

 green leaves ; and C. reticulata (fig. 83), with short and thick stem, 

 bearing persistent flower stems, flowers small and inconspicuous. 



Ficoideae.— Mescmbryanthcmum. — An exceedingly remarkable genus. 

 The order Ficoideae and the Cactaceae form a group by themselves ; in 

 the Cactaceae leaves are usually small or absent, but here the leaves are 



Fig. 82. — Cotyledon Eckloniana. 



always well developed, and the stem is sometimes much reduced, as in 

 certain kinds which simulate the stones among which the plants grow. 

 The flowers are often very showy though fugacious. 



The annual species worth cultivation out of doors are M. crystallinum, 

 native also of Greece, the Canaries and California ; M. pomeridianum, 

 yellow flowers, plant prostrate ; and M. pyropeum (tricolor, Hort.), with 

 its white variety illustrated in " Gard. Chron.," Jan. 18, 1908, p. 42. 



The following are curious in foliage : M Bolusii (" Bot. Mag.," 

 t. 6664), leaves two, liver-coloured, flower yellow and red ; M. minutum, 

 plant stemless, leaves connate, glaucous ; M. testicidatuni, plant stemless, 

 leaves four to eight, white, flowers yellow ; M. tigrinum, leaves with 

 suggestive side teeth. 



