THE 
GARDENER’S AND BOTANIST’S DICTIONARY. 
Orper CIII. CUCURBITA‘CE (plants agreeing with 
Cuctrbita in important characters). Juss. gen. p. 393. D.C, 
fl. fr. 3. p.688. Aug. St. Hil. in mem. mus. 9. p. 190-221. 
Ser. in mem soc. hist. nat. gen. vol. 3. p. 1. D.C. prod. 3. 
p. 297. Lindl. introd. nat. syst. p. 192. 
Flowers hermaphrodite, monoecious or dioecious (f. 1. b. c. 
f. 3. b. c.), axillary. Calyx gamosepalous (f. 3. a. b.), 5-toothed, 
sometimes obsolete. Corolla 5-petalled (f. 2. a. f. 1. c. f. 3. ¢.), 
but usually only 5-parted, distinct from the calyx, and some- 
times somewhat continuous with it, rising from the margin 
of the torus, sometimes fringed, constantly yellow, white, or 
red, very cellular, with strongly marked, reticulated veins. 
Stamens 5, either distinct, or joined in 3 parcels, and sometimes 
all together ; filaments rarely pilose ; anthers 2-celled, very long, 
sinuous, rarely ovate and short. Style rarely almost wanting, 
crowned by 3-5 2-lobed stigmas, which are thick and velvety, 
but rarely fringed. Ovarium 1-celled, with 3 parietal placentas. 
Fruit fleshy, more or less succulent, crowned by the scar formed 
by the calyx, 1-celled (f. 3. e. f. 2. b.), with 3 parietal placentas, 
which are indicated on the outside by nerves. Umbilical funicle 
tumid towards the seeds. Seeds frequently obovate, flat, fixed to 
the parietes of the fruit, enveloped in an arillus, which is either 
juicy, or dry and membranous ; testa coriaceous, often thick at 
the margins ; hylum oblique at the top of the seed. Embryo 
straight, flat, without albumen. Cotyledons foliaceous, pal- 
mately nerved; radicle basilar, directed towards the hylum.— 
Roots annual or perennial, fibrous or tuberous. Stems herba- 
ceous, climbing by means of tendrils. Leaves palmate, or with 
palmate ribs, succulent, covered with numerous asperities. Ten- 
drils solitary, lateral, divided or undivided. Flowers solitary, 
panicled, or in fascicles. Bracteas usually wanting. Branches 
rising between the leaves and tendrils. 
This order is nearly related to Passiflére@, to which they are 
so closely allied, as hardly to be distinguishable, except in their 
monopetalous corolla, sinuous stamens, unisexual flowers, and 
exalbuminous seeds, the habit of both being nearly the same. 
There is an affinity between the order and Campanulacee in the 
VOL. III. 
perigynous insertion of the stamens, the inferior ovarium, the 
single style with several stigmas, the quinary division of the 
flower, connected with the ternary division of the fruit, and 
some analogy in the nature of the floral envelopes. The 
small tribe Nhandirdbee consists of plants having the habit of 
Cucurbitacee, but some resemblance in their fruit to that of 
Lecythidee, which, as is well known, border close upon Myr- 
tacee ; but beyond this resemblance of the fruit, which 
appears altogether to be a structure of analogy rather than 
that of affinity, there is nothing to confirm the approachment. 
Cucurbitacee is one of the most useful orders in the vegetable 
kingdom, comprehending the melon, the cucumber, the choco, 
and the various species of gourd and pumpkin, all useful as 
food for man. A bitter laxative quality perhaps pervades all 
these, which in the colocynth is so concentrated as to become 
an active purgative principle. The colocynth of the shops is 
prepared from the pulp of Cticumus colocynthus ; it is of so 
drastic and irritating a nature, as to be classed by Orfila among 
his poisons; but, according to Thunberg, this gourd is rendered 
perfectly mild at the Cape of Good Hope, by being properly 
pickled, Ainslie 1. p. 85. The bitter resinous matter in which 
the active principles of colocynth are supposed to exist, is called 
by chemists colocynthine. A waxy substance is secreted by the 
fruit of Benincasa cerifera. It is produced in most abundance 
at the time of its ripening. Delisle descrip. The leaf of Feuil- 
lea cordifolia, is asserted by M. Drapiez to be a powerful anti- 
dote against vegetable poisons. Edinb. phil. journ. 4. p. 221. 
The fruit of Trichosénthes palmata, pounded small, and inti- 
mately blended with warm cocoa-nut oil, is considered a valuable 
application in India for cleansing and healing the offensive sores 
which sometimes take place in the inside of the ears. It is also 
supposed to be a useful remedy poured up the nostrils in cases 
of ozema. Ainslie 2. p. 85. The root of Brydnia possesses 
powerful purgative properties, but is said to be capable of 
becoming wholesome food, if properly cooked. The perennial 
roots of all the order appear to contain similar bitter drastic 
virtues, especially that of Momérdica elatérium or Squirting 
