2 CUCURBITACES. 
Cucumber. An extremely active poisonous principle, called 
elatine, has also been found in the placentas of the fruit of this 
plant. It exists in such extremely small quantity, that Dr. 
Clutterbuck only obtained 6 grains from 40 fruit. Edinb. phil. 
journ. 3. p. 307. An ingenious explanation of the cause of the 
singular ejection of the seeds of this plant will be found in 
Dutrochet’s Nouvelles Recherches sur l’Exosmose. The root 
of Brydnia rostrata is prescribed in India internally in electuary 
in cases of piles. It is also used as a demulcent, in the form of 
powder, That of Brydnia cordif dlia is considered cooling, and 
to possess virtues in complaints requiring expectorants. Ainslie 
2.p.21. The root of Brydnia epige‘a was once supposed to 
be the famous colomba-root, to which it approaches very nearly 
in quality. The tender shoots and leaves of Brydnia scabra are 
aperient, having been previously roasted. Ainslie 2. p. 212. The 
seeds of all the species are sweet and oily, and capable of forming 
very readily an emulsion. Those of Ampelosicyos scéndens are 
as large as chestnuts, and said to be as good as almonds, having 
a very agreeable flavour. When pressed they yield an abund- 
ance of oil, equal to that of the finest olives. De Candolle 
remarks that the seeds of this family never participate in the 
property of the pulp that surrounds them. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
Trisz I. 
Nuanpiro sex. Tendrils axillary, in the place of peduncles. 
Flowers dioecious. 
1 Fevurtrea, Calyx of the male flowers 5-cleft. Petals 5, 
joined at the base. Stamens 5, inserted with the petals, some- 
times 10, but 5 of them are sterile. Calyx of the female flowers 
5-cleft. Petals 5, distinct. Styles 3; stigmas broad, bifid. 
Fruit globose, fleshy. 
2 Zawonia. Male flowers. Calyx 8-lobed (f. 1. a.). Petals 
5, joined into a 5-parted rotate, spreading corolla CE ch): 
Stamens 5, joined at the base; anthers 1-celled. Female 
flowers. Calyx with a long turbinate tube, and a 5-lobed limb. 
Corolla as in the male flowers. Styles 3, spreading, bifid at the 
apex. Fruit long, turbinate, fleshy ; seeds winged (f. 1. d. é.). 
Trise II. 
Cucursr'tEx. Tendrils lateral, stipular. 
phrodite, dioecious, or monoecious. 
8 Lacena‘ria. Calyx campanulate, with subulate or broadish 
segments ; corolla white; petals obovate. Stamens 5, triadel- 
phous. Stigmas 3, thick, 2-lobed. Fruit 3-5-celled. Flowers 
dioecious. 
4 Cucumis. Calyx tubularly-campanulate, with subulate 
segments. Petals almost distinct. Stamens 5, in 3 parcels. Stig- 
mas 3, thick, bipartite. Fruit 3-6-celled. 
or hermaphrodite, yellow. 
5 Lurra. Male flowers panicled; tube of calyx hemisphe- 
rical. Petals distinct. Stamens 5, free; anthers very sinuous. 
Female flowers solitary ; tube of calyx clavate. 
form. Fruit ovate, 3-celled. Flowers yellow. 
6 Bentnca'sa. Flowers polygamous, monoecious, solitary ; 
Flowers herma- 
Flowers. monoecious 
Stigmas reni- 
calycine segments with undulated, toothed margins. Petals 
obovate, spreading, curled. Stamens in 3 parcels; anthers 
irregular, with distant circumvolutions. Stigmas very thick. 
Flowers yellow. 
7 Eryruropa‘tum. Flowers monoecious. 
obsoletely 5-toothed. Petals 5, bicallous at base inside. 
mens 5, rising from the edge of the tube. Style short. 
clavate, 1-celled, 3-valved, 1-seeded. 
8 Tu'r1A. Flowers monoecious. Male ones umbellate. 
Calyx 5-parted. Corolla 5-petalled. Stamens 5, in 3 parcels ; 
anthers irregularly undulated. Stamens barren in the female 
flowers. Stigmas 3, 2-lobed. Fruit cylindrical, villous, warted. 
9 Bryon1a. Flowers monoecious or dioecious ; petals almost 
distinct. Male flowers. Calyx 5-toothed. Stamens in 3 parcels. 
Anthers flexuous. Female flowers. Style trifid. Fruit ovate 
or globose, smooth. Tendrils usually simple, seldom bifid. 
10 Srcyos. Flowers monoecious. Male flowers. Calyx 
5-toothed. Corolla 5-parted. Filaments 3. Female flower. 
Style trifid ; stigmas thickish, trifid. Fruit 1-seeded from abor- 
tion, usually beset with spines. Peduncles many-flowered. 
11 Exare‘rrum. Flowers monoecious; male ones racemose 
or corymbose. Calyx with inconspicuous teeth. Corolla hardly 
gamopetalous. Filaments and anthers joined. Female flowers 
solitary. Calyx echinated at the base, with the neck filiform. 
Style crowned by a capitate stigma. Capsule coriaceous, reni- 
form, echinated, 1-celled, 2-3-valved, many-seeded, bursting 
elastically. Flowers yellow or white. 
12 Momérpica. Flowers monoecious ; peduncles filiform, 
unibracteate. Male flowers. Calyx 5-cleft, with a very short 
tube. Corolla 5-parted. Stamens in 3 parcels ; anthers con- 
nected. Female flowers with 3 sterile filaments. Style trifid. 
Ovarium 3-celled. Fruit generally muricated, bursting elas- 
tically when mature. 
13 Neurosrr’rma. Flowers monoecious. Male flowers. 
Calyx and corolla 5-parted. Stamens 5, diadelphous, having 2 
glands alternating with the bundles. Female flowers. Calyx 
and corolla parted. Ovarium beset with 8 series of warts. 
Style trifid, girded by 3 glands at the base ; stigmas 2-lobed. 
Fruit fleshy, 3-celled, but when mature 1-celled, 3-9-seeded. 
14 Sr’curum. Flowers monoecious, yellow. Calyx 5-toothed, 
with 10 foveole. Corolla joined with the calyx. Stamens 4-5, 
monadelphous. Style thick; stigma capitate, 3-5-cleft. Fruit 
obcordate, 1-seeded. 
15 Mexérnrra, 
Limb of calyx 
Sta- 
Fruit 
Flowers monoecious. Calyx 5-toothed. 
Corolla campanulate ; petals ciliated or toothed, never fringed. 
Filaments 5, in 3 parcels. Style 1; stigmas 8, fringed. Fruit 
3-celled, many-seeded. 
16 Tricnosa’nrues. Flowers monoecious, white. Male 
flowers. Calyx subclavate, 5-parted, appendiculate. Corolla 
5-parted, ciliated (f. 2. a.). Filaments 3. Anthers joined. Female 
flowers. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla 5-parted, laciniately cili- 
ated (f. 2. a.). Style trifid (f. 2. d.). Stigmas oblong, subulate. 
Fruit oblong (f. 2. b.), 1 or 3-9-celled. 
17 Ampetosicyos. Flowers dioecious. Male flowers. Calyx 
turbinate, 5-cleft (f. 3. a.); segments denticulated (£ 3. b.) 
