955 
CACTUS Dillenii. 
The Eliham Indian-Fig. 
ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNI4A. 
Nat. ord. Cacti. Jussieu gen. 310. Div. IT. Petala et stamina in-« 
definita. 12 
CACTUS. Supra vol. 2. fol. 137. 
ret nee niney 
Div. Opuntia, compresse articulis proliferis. 
C. Dillenii, erectus; articulis frugiferis obovato-subrotundis, glaucis, spi- 
narum validarum flavicantium fasciculis divaricatis. et penicillo setoso- 
piloso baseos pluriés longioribus; germine penicillis nonnullis vagis in 
summitate, breviore corolla: stigmate sexlobo. 
Tuna major, spinis validis flavicantibus flore sulphureo. Dillen. elth. 393. 
t. 296. fie. 332. 
Fratex pinguis, compressus, articulato-ramosus, 4-6-pedalis ». ultra, 
erectus, glaucus. Flores pauci in margine superiore articulorum terminalium, 
sulphurei, concolores, diametro subquadriunciali. Stylus albus. 
The upper articulations of the stem of this plant differ 
from those in Yuna, by being nearly as broad as long, and 
of an oblately cuneate or rather oblately obovate form; the 
flower is of one colour, not red on the outside, as there, 
and considerably larger; the germen has setaceous pencils 
or small tufts only at the upper part of the germen, and not 
scattered over the whole. It flowered in the celebrated 
garden at Eltham before 1732, and was represented by 
Dillenius, in his Hortus Elthamensis, but the figure has. 
not been applied by Linnzeus to any species. We see no_ 
reason for supposing it a variety of Tuna. Calling a plant 
a variety may serve to shuflle off the task of expressing near 
distinctions, but when ‘said without the proof of experience 
or analogy, and in the face of difference, should haye little 
weight. It is indeed a safe assertion, for he who makes it 
can never be shown to be in the wrong; a danger to which — 
the opposite assertion may be subject to the end of time. 
But then’ a species that stands reputed as the variety of 
another, is a whole race falsified on the records of science; 
and, as varieties are ever less anxiously attended to than 
Species, a race exposed to the chance of being entirely over- 
looked, ! : 
‘The drawing was made from a plant in the collection of 
Mr. Vere, at Kensington Gore. It was about’ four feet 
high, and had never been known to flower before, We 
Sd 
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