Plants CXI. Vol. VI. No. 58. 



THE GREAT NIGHT - FLOWERING CEREUS. 

 {Cactus grcMidiflorus. ) 



The wide - around, creeping members of the itself at last a superb flower,, that at the end 

 stock and branches of this plant remarkable of Juny or at the beginning of July after sun- 

 on account of its noble flower reach a length setting but once fully opens aud before sun- 

 of three till six feet with a bignefs of two rising is again shut and withering, Our re- 

 inches at the most. They are cylindrical, presentation shows the figure and colour of 

 yet become at each end somewhat thinner, this noble flower, exhaling sweet aromatick 

 and commonly show six prominent ribs, ar- fragrancy ; but in nature it sometimes pro- 

 med with yellowish tufts of pricks. The in- ves to be still greater in vigorous plants, 

 te ri or mafs is pulpous and juicy. From many The fruit- knot ripens within a year to a con- 

 of these tufts of pricks ifsue yearly in the siderable pear - like juicy fruit of an agreea- 

 spring on the sides of the branches single ble sourish flavour; it is all around beset with 

 fruit-knots beset with scales and bushes of scaly little red bunches shifting into an oran- 

 hair. These improve at the upper part into ge-tavvny colour. This plant is met within 

 a calix about six inches long outwards like- great hot-houses; but it is native in South- 

 wise scaly and hair'd; and out of this forms America, Jamaica and St. Domingo. 



