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P L A T E DVIII.
C A C T U S GRANDIFLORUS.
JLcirge^/Iowered Cereus.
C L A S S XIL ORDER L
JCOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA. About 20 Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
CALYX monophyllus, superus, imbricatus. Corolla
multiplex. Bacca monolocularis, po-
Ijsperma.
SPECIFIC
CACTUS scandens vel repens, ramosus, articulatus,
cum radiculis lateralibus : ramis sexvel
octagonis, acúleos stellatos ferentibus.
Calyx radiatus, flavus : coroHis albis. Flores
magni, vesperè expansi, odorem fragrantissimum
exhalantes.
AñUers, Icones, tal. 90.
EMPALEMENT one-leafed, above, tiled. Elossom
of many folds. Berry of one loculament,
many-seeded.
CHARACTER.
CEEEUS with a climbing or creeping stem,
branching, jointed, with small side-roots :
branches six- or eight-angled, bearing starry
prickles. Empalement rayed and yellow.
Blossom white. Flowers large, expanding
in the evening, and breathing a most fragrant
odour.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A flower divested of the petals, and spread open.
THIS elegant hot-house plant has been figured by several authors, and is well known by the appellation
of the Night-blowing Cereus, and yet but few of Flora's lovely train, warmed by the mid-day sun's
refulgent beams, in splendour can compare with this nocturnal beauty, v/hose brilliant flowers expand
about sun-set. But, alas! too soon condemned to fade, they close up early on the following morn.
Sometimes they have been found unclosed almost within an hour of noon : a circumstance that very
rarely happens, as it generally displays its graceful blossoms to Cynthia's silver beams, perfuming tlie
still cool air of midnight with its aromatic fragrance.
Our figure was taken from a plant in the collection of tlie Dowager Lady de CliiFord at Dudley Grove,
Paddington.