Ad00341 05 057a/eng
Süd-Amerikanische Fackel-Disteln : Die Melonenförmige Fackeldistel
Beschreibungstext eng
Plants. CX. Vol. VI. No. 55., SOUTH-AMERICAN CEREI., 1 he Cerei, being met with in European hot-houses, originally come from the warmer countries of South - America and from the Islands situated between the tropics next to America. They are all together juicy pulpous plants, drawing their moisture and nourishment more from the air, than from the soil, and thriving therefore in the hottest climates upon the driest sand or stony ground. These plants commonly have no peculiar leaves, hut only consist of stocks and branches, which in the different species are of a different, but always thoroughly uniform Fig. ure, partly composed of mere leaf-like members, now of such as are cylindrical, now more or Ids angular longish ones, beset with tufts of pricks. Such, an uniformity of stocks and branches serves the more to set of the beautiful structure and colour of the flowers, which commonly but after sun - setting only once open, and a few hours past again are for ever closed. The fruits of this plant resemble to the Fig. s, are eatable and of an agreeable sourish flavour., On the present table appears represented, The common Melon thistle. (Cactus Melocactus), The members of the stock are of the bignè fs of a human head, and of a melon - like Fig. ure, furrovv'd all-around from above till below, so that many — commonly 14 high ribs or edges appear, armed on their back with tufts of pricks. When the plant is preparing to produce flowers or fruits, it pushes forth at the upper part a cylindrical high and big shaft hairy and prickly; and out of this issue allaround, but most frequently at the top many flowers, at first rose-coloured, at last reddening like" a cochineal. Each of these flowers is round-about seated upon a fruit- knot, that afterwards unfolds itself to a Fig. like deep cochinealred pulpous fruit, upon which the withered flower sitting preserves itself.
