Mesa Verde
a peculiar plateau in the southwest corner of Colorado, on the right bank of the Mancos river, 15 miles in length and about 8 wide. Its base is from 300 to 500 feet above the floor of the valley, while its sheer walls MESEMBRYACEÆ of yellow sandstone rise another 200 or 300 feet higher. On the green, level top and around the base are found the ruins of the ancient aborigines, es, known as cliff dwellings. The Mesa Verde is a point of great attraction to tourists.
MESEMBRYACEÆ (-bri-ā'se-ē), an order of perigynous exogens, alliance Ficoidales. It consists of ' succulent shrubs or herbs, with opposite simple leaves. The flowers are terminal, though so short-stalked as to appear lateral; they are showy, and generally open under the influence of sunshine, closing on its departure. Petals in many rows.
Stamens indefinite in number; ovary inferior or nearly superior, many or onecelled. Stigmas numerous, distinct, ovules indefinite, attached to a central placenta. Fruit capsular, surrounded by the fleshy calyx opening in a stellate manner at the apex, or splitting at the base. Found chiefly on the hot, sandy plains of south Africa. A few grow in the N. of Africa, in the S. of Europe, in Asia, the islands of the Pacific, and South America. Known genera, 16; species upward of 400.