532 LXIV. CUCURBITACEX (HOOKER). [ Spherosicyos. 
9. SPH BROSICYOS, Hook. f.; Benth. et Hook. f. 
Gen, Plant. i. 824. 
Dicecious. Male fl.: Solitary or racemose. Calyx-tube turbinate ; 
lobes glandular. Corolla deeply 5-partite; lobes obovate. Filaments 
free, inserted on the mouth of the calyx, recurved; anthers exserted, 
one 1-celled, two 2-celled; cells tlexuous, bordering the broad connec- 
tive. Rudiment of ovary 0. Female fl.: Staminodes small, Ovary 
oblong ; style columnar; stigma large 3-lobed; ovules very numerous 
on 8 placentas. Fruit globose or nearly so, smooth, epicarp hard, pulp 
fleshy. Seeds very numerous, obovoid, compressed, smooth, note ed, 
margin thickened.—Prostrate or climbing stout perennials, root fibrous. 
Leaves lobed; petioles with 2 glands at the apex. ‘Tendrils simple or 
2-fid. Flowers large, white. Fruit large. 
1. S. Meyeri, Hook. f. Stem glabrous or nearly so, angled and grooved. 
Leaves 2-6 in. long, coriaceous, scabrid, 5-lobed to or below the middle; 
lobes lobulate and sharply irregularly toothed, rarely almost entre, 
basal sinus open ; petiole with 2 conical horn-like processes at the ape%- 
Male peduncles stout, 4—6 in., 2-5-flowered at the apex ; bracts minute, 
or 0. Calyx-tube short, pubescent; lobes small, triangular-subulate. 
Corolla 3—6 in. diameter; lobes broadly oblong, obtuse. Female fi. : 
Solitary, shortly pedicelled. Calyx-lobes small. Ovary ovoid, pubes- 
cent. Fruit ovoid, green marbled with yellow, quite smooth, bard.— 
Luffa spherica, Sond. Fl. Cap. ii. 490. Lagenaria spherica, E. Mey. Cat. 
L. mascarena, Naud, in Ann. Sc. Nat. sér. 4, xviii, 187. 
Mozamb. Distr. Rovuma river, Dr. Kirk! 
Also found in Natal, and originally described by Naudin as Lagenaria mascarend, 
from specimens cultivated in the Mauritius. 
10. BENINCASA, Savi; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. i. 824. 
Monecious. Flowers all solitary. Male : Calyx-tube campanulate ; 
lobes 5, leafy, serrate. Corolla rotate, 5-partite ; lobes obovate. Fila- 
ments free, inserted at the mouth of the calyx, short, flat, thick ; anthers 
exserted, one 1-celled, two 2-celled; cells very flexuous, bordering the 
thick connective. Rudiment of ovary a elandule. Female fl. : Stam 
€ . ger o ; . 10" 5 
nodes 38. Ovary ovoid; style stout, inserted in a disk; stigmas * 
wavy ; ovules very numerous on 3 placentas. Fruit an ovoid or ae 
ric, thick, terete, soft, glaucous, hispid berry. Seeds numerous, V0! by, 
oblong, flat, margin thickened.—An annual prostrate hairy ae 
branches stout. Leaves orbicular-reniform, palmately 5-lobed; petso’e 
eglandular. Tendrils 2—3-fid. Flowers large, yellow. Fruit large; 
waxy externally. . 
1. B. cerifera, Suvi; Ser. in DC. Prod. iii. 303. Stems numerous 
from the root, much branched, hispid or hirsute, several feet ee 
Leuves softly tomentose, 4-6 in. long and broad, 5—9-angled, too’ 
