MESEMBRYAN'THEMUM TRICOLOR. 
THREE-COLOURED FIG-MARIGOLD. 
Class. Order. 
ICOSANDRIA. DI-PENTAGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
MESEMBRYACE^. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration 
Introduced 
C G.Hope 
6 inches. 
July. 
Annual. 
in 1795. 
No. 912. 
Mesembryanthemum, a word compounded of the 
Greek mesembria, mid-day ; and anthemon, 
flower. The word thus constituted, bears an allu- 
sion to the general habit of the genus, in its blossoms 
expanding in mid-day, and closing by night. 
The Mesembryanthemums are an odd collection 
of creatures. Their leaves are always more or less 
thick and succulent, and assume such curious shapes. 
Some are round and solid as a pear; some as nuts, 
berries, puff-balls, or figs; others with tooth-fringed 
leaves, bear a resemblance to the jaws and teeth of 
w'olves, mice, tigers, cats, &c., after which they 
are named. Others resemble horns, sickles, half- 
moons ; and many other singularities may be found 
amongst them ; and nearly all may be grown with 
a small amount of attention. 
Our present species is a half-hardy annual, 
requiring to be sown on a slight hot-bed, and trans- 
planted into small pots, preparatory to their being 
turned into the borders in the beginning of June. 
Exposed plants will not always ripen seeds, there- 
fore one or two should have protection in pots, to 
prevent disappointment. 
