NAT. ORDER. 
Cactece. 
CACTUS CEREUS. NIGHT-FLOWERING CACTUS. 
Class XII. IcosANDRiA. Order I. Monogynia. 
Gen. Char. Calyx superior, hairy, pointed, many cleft. Segments 
somewhat imbricate, cohering. Petals very numerous, inserted 
in four different setts of series — the interior ones of a lightish 
color, and more broad at the base and short — external ones 
more slender. 
Spe. Char. Leaves fleshy, hairy, lanceolate, Ste7n round and 
ribbed, tuffed in spots. 
This curious species of the cactus tribe is found in the tropical 
regions of this country, inhabiting the borders of marshes and low 
lands. It grows from two to three feet in height, and some- 
what creeping ; the roots are long, fibrous, white, somewhat tuber- 
ous, and woody ; also a considerable stringy ; the petals are very 
numerous, and inserted in several different rows ; the inner ones 
short and more broad at the base — the outer ones longer, lanceolate, 
pointed, more fleshy, and deeper tinged with a yellowish tint near 
their extremities ; the stamens are indefinite, cohering somewhat 
with the sepals ; the filaments are numerous, long, slender, and fila- 
form ; the anthers ovate, slender, and a little curved ; the stigmas 
are quite numerous, and collected rather closely together, and some- 
what clustered ; the Jioioers are large, showy, spreading, placed at 
the end of the fleshy flowering stem, and when in full blossom pro- 
duces an enchanting appearance. For external appearance exam- 
ine plate. 
Vol. iv.— 101. 
