ly flowers under cultivation.

O. c. cristata (crested).--A dwarf, cockscomb-like variety, with the
leaves and white hairs growing all along the wrinkled top of the comb.
It is a very singular example of a "monster" Cactus. It requires stove
treatment.

O. Davisii (Davis'); Bot. Mag. 6652.--Stems somewhat horizontal, not
exceeding 11/2 ft. in height; joints 4 in. to 6 in. in length, and about 1/2
in. in thickness; wood dense, and hard when old; tubercles not prominent,
bearing cushions of very slender bristles, forming a kind of brush, from
amongst which the spines spring. The longest spines are 11/2 in., and they
are covered with a loose, glistening sheath. Flowers 2 in. in diameter,
greenish-brown. The plant is a native of New Mexico, and was introduced
in 1883. It forms a compact, shrubby little plant if grown in an
intermediate house during winter, and placed in the open in full
sunshine during summer. It was flowered for the first time in England in
1883, and although not what we should call an attractive plant, in
America it is described as being "a well-marked and pretty species." It
is named after Jefferson Davis, the American statesman.

O. decumana (great-oblong). This is the largest-growing species in
cultivation. At Kew it is represented by a plant 12 ft. high (it would
grow still taller if the house were higher). It has a hard, woody,
brown-barked stem, bearing an enormous head of very large, elliptical,
flat joints, 12 in. to 20 in. long, and about 1 ft. broad, smooth,
grey-green, with a few scattered cushions of very tiny bristles, and
sometimes, though rarely, a spine or two. Flowers large,
orange-coloured, produced in summer. Fruit oval, 4 in. long, spiny,
brownish-red, very watery when ripe; flesh red, sweet. A native of
Brazil, and requiring stove treatment. This is said to be what is known
in Malta as the Indian Fig. The plant is chiefly interesting here on
account of the extraordinary size of the joints.

O. diademata (diademed).--A small, remarkable, and extremely rare
little species, with a short, erect stem, composed of globose,
superposed joints, grey-green in colour, and very succulent. The topmost
joint is pear-shaped, with a tuft of whitish hair and spines on the
apex, out of which the new growth pushes. Cushions large, about 1 in.
apart, furnished with a tuft of short, grey hairs and short spines, with
a large one at the base. The character of this large spine is
exceptional, being broad