38. CACTACEiE. 
311 
M. formosum Haw. Rev. 145, DC. iii. 436, a lovely sp., allied 
to M. spectabile Haw. (EM. t. 396), but with grass-gr. (not glau- 
cous) 1. 1-2 in. long, shortly stalked corymbosely crowded binate 
or subternate large bright deep rose-pink fl. and decumbent or 
procumbent fl. -branches dying back after flowering, is a great 
ornament to Funchal from March to June, cult, in boxes or 
pots in balconies and windows : and a scarcely less striking- 
cult. sp., though of shorter continuance in fl., which seems to 
be exactly, from its dark gr. not at all glaucescent 1., M. cocci- 
neuni (3. Haw. Syn. 265, as distinguished varietally from M. coc- 
cineum DC. Pi. Gr. t. 83, Haw. Rev. 150, DC. iii. 438=3/. bi- 
colorum BM. t. 59 (not Linn.), has intense deep crimson or 
blood-red fl. with a metallic lustre perfectly dazzling in bright 
morning-sunshine, in which alone they open. A 3rd sp. occa- 
sionally seen with these in cottage gardens (e. g. at Porto da Cruz) 
and flowering at the same time, has also prostrate or procum- 
bent st., short triquetrous but more fasciculate or crowded very 
glaucous 1. 3-I in. long, and very pale pink or flesh-coloured 
binate or ternate fl. It is a glaucous-leaved var. of M. blandum 
Haw. Suppl. 95, Rev. 147 ; Bot. Reg. t. 582 ; DC. iii. 436. 
Order XXXVIII. CACTACEAE. 
The Prickly-pear or Cactus-tribe. 
Fl. perfect regular. Cal.-tube connate with the ov. ; sep. and 
pet. numerous undistinguishable imbricate (often distinctly spi- 
rally), either forming a crown at the top of the tube or in spiral 
bands around it, the crown or limb persistent or falling ofl' 
together in one withered mass in fr. Stam. numerous in many 
rows with long fil. and small versatile anth. Ov. inferior 
1 -celled with vertical parietal placentas and many ovules. Style 
elongate more or less tubular, stigmas several (as many as pla- 
centas) linear. Fr. baccate succulent 1-celled umbilicate at 
top, with numerous hard bony seeds at first parietal, when ripe 
scattered in the pulp ; alb. mostly none ; embryo straight or 
curved. — Fleshy herbaceous, shrubby, or subarboreous mostly 
leafless pi., with globular columnar round or angular often flat- 
tened leaf-like jointed or moniliform fleshy st. or branches of a 
peculiar aspect, beset spirally with tufts of short bristles and 
often spines instead of 1. which are either wanting or abortive 
and soon falling, rarely perfect. Fl. sessile mostly conspicuous 
and scentless, of short duration, sometimes nocturnal, w., y., or 
sc., r., p. or cr. Fr. often eatable. 
Q 
