980 
CUCUMIS africanus. 
African Cucumber. 
MONCECIA MONADELPHIA. 
Nat. ord. Cucubbitace;e. 
CUCUMIS. —L. Monoicus. Calyx Momordicee, sed major campanu- 
latus, laciniis exterioribus subulatis. $ . Stamina Momordicae, tegentia 
discum centralem 3-gonum truncatum. $ . Filamenta 3 sterilia. Stylus 
brevissimus; stigmata 3 crassa bipartita. Pomum magnum 3-Ioculare, 
dissepimentis membranaceo-succosis, polyspermum, sermmbus gemino online, 
ovatis compressis margine acuto.- Folia Colocynthidis et Anguriaepa - 
mato-laciniata, cceterorum cordata; pedunculi breves uni-out mu ijlori. 
Fructus Cucumeris T. oblongus subcylindricus superjicie iruequahs carmsus 
insipidus edulis, Melonis T. ovatus camosus edulis suavior superjicie sulcata 
aut reticulatd, Colocynthidis T. ovatus minor came steed amard non eduh, 
Anguriee T. parviflorae. cceteris minor echinatus aquosus pulposus edulis. 
Juss. gen. 396. 
C. africanus ; pomis ovalibus echinatis, foliis palmatis sinuatis, caule angu 
lato. Linn, suppl. 423. ^ 
C. africanus echinatus minor. Herm. parad. bat. 133. t. 
C. africanus. Thunb. prodr. 13. Willd. sp. 4. 611. 
It is uncertain at what time this plant was first intro¬ 
duced into our gardens; probably at an early period of our 
communication with the Cape, of which country it is a 
native. It is not, however, taken up in the last edition ot 
the Hortus Kewensis. 
At present it is often seen among collections of tender 
annuals in the gardens of the curious. Trained to a few 
slight stakes in a garden-pot, it forms an elegant ornament 
of the greenhouse. It will even thrive in the open air, it 
protected by a hand-glass in chilly weather. 
Our drawing was made at Mr. Colvill s Nursery. 
