530 LXIV, CUCURBITACEH (HOOKER). [ Luffa. 
7. LUFFA, Cav.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. i. 823. 
Monecious or diccious. Male fl.: Racemose. Calyx-tube bell- 
or top-shaped; lobes 5, spreading. Petals 5, free, spreading, obovate 
or obcordate. Filaments 3 or 5, free or connate, inserted on the mouth 
of the calyx; anthers exserted, free, one 1-celled, two 2-celled; cells 
flexuous, bordering the broad connective. Rudiment of ovary gland- 
like. Female f.: Solitary. Staminodes various. Ovary elongate, 
angled or grooved ; style columnar; stigma 3-lobed; ovules many on 
3 parietal placentas. Fruit oblong or cylindric, even or ribbed, dry 
and fibrous inside, 3-celled, opening by a terminal lid which bears 
the persistent style. Seeds numerous, oblong, compressed.—Annual, 
rostrate or scandent herbs. Leaves 5—7-lobed, petiole eglandular. 
endrils simple or 2-multifid. Flowers large, yellow or white 5 male 
jointed on to the pedicels. Fruit often large, dry, with a thin 
epicarp. 
Fruit smooth. : 
Flowers 14-3 in. diameter. Fruit not ridged . . foe dane 
Flowers 14-3 in. diameter. Fruit with 3 sharp ridges. . . . 2. Z. acutangula. 
Fruit covered with stout barbed bristles er ee 3. L. echinata. 
1. L. xegyptiaca, Miller; Ser. in DC. Prod. iii, 303. Scabrid. 
Leaves 4—7 in, in diameter, palmately 5-7-angled or lobed, ion 
on both surfaces, distantly irregularly toothed; stipular bract small, 
cordate, glandular.—Male fl.: Raceme a span long, many-flowered ; 
bracts small, glandular ; pedicels very short. Calyx-lobes 4 in. long, 
triangular-ovate, green. Corolla 14—3 in. broad. Stamens 3 oF - 
Fruit 5-12 in. long, cylindric or trigonous, with 10 dark lines, but no 
sharp ridges. Seeds black, rarely whitish, with a narrow wing; we 
smooth.—L, pentandra, Roxb. Fi. Ind. iii. 712. Wight Ic. t. 499. 
L. cylindrica, Rem.; Naud. in Ann. Se. Nat. sér. 4, xit. 119 (with sy- 
nonyms). L. scabra, Schum. et Thonn. Pl. Guin. 405. 
Upper Guinea. Niger, Vogel! Barter! 
Nile Land. Kazeh, Speke and Grant! 
Lower Guinea. Angola, Dr. Welwitsch! 
Mozamb. Distr. Rovuma river, Meller ! owes sible 
Some of the above habitats may refer to the following species, which it 18 pone 8% : d 
to distinguish in the dry state by Howers and foliage alone. L. egyptiaca is ge 
throughout the tropics, and the young fruit eaten. Naudin says that its native country 
is uncertain. 
2. L. acutangula, ford. ; Fl. Ind. iii. 713. Very similar to 2 
egyptiaca, but according to Naudin the leaves are paler green, gh 
orbicular in outline, and the flowers paler yellow. Fruit 6-12 in. long; 
oblong-clavate, with 10 sharp ridges. Seeds black, wingless ; tes 
rough.—L, fetida, Cav. Te. i. 7, t. 9 and 10. Bot. Mag. t. 1638. 
Tropical Africa, probably abundant, also abundant infAsia; and cultivated throughout 
the tropics. z a 
I have taken the character from Naudin, who observes that this is the Papengay* 
the Negroes ; that it presents both bitter and poisonous and edible sweet yarieties, # 
is readily hybridized with L. egyptiaca. 
