in October 1821, having been received in the spring of that 
same year, with many other botanical treasures, from the Royal 
Garden at Kew, through the liberality of my kind friend W. T. 
AiTON, Esq. It was by him obtained from the Brazils in 1818, 
and is described by none but Mr Ha worth, in the Supple- 
ment to his work on Succulent Plants, at a time when its 
flowers were not known. 
In another instance, I have followed, though not without 
hesitation, the able investigator of Succulent Plants just men- 
tioned, in taking up the genus Rhipsalis ; but in the present 
I do not see sufficient grounds for constituting a generic cha- 
racter. Nothing, indeed, can be more natural than the divi- 
sional characters of the genus Cactus, taken from the stems ; 
but it does not appear to me that the structure of the flowers 
affords marks equally constant. A more intimate acquaintance 
with the flowers and fruit than we yet possess, may enable us 
to discover differences, but at present I think it safest to con- 
fine myself to the old genus. 
There can hardly be a more desirable plant for the stove 
than the present individual, as it increases readily by cuttings, 
and only requires the common treatment of the rest of its con- 
geners. 
Fig. I. Front view of a flower, slightly/ magnified. Fig. 2. Portion of the 
tube, to shew the insertion of the stamens. Fig. 3. Anther. Fig. 4. 
Stigma. — All more or less magnified. 
