542 LXIV, CUCURBITACEH (HOOKER). [ Cucumis. 
16. CUCUMIS, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. i. 826. 
Moneecious, rarely dicecious. Male fl.: Fascicled or solitary. Calyx- 
tube short; lobes subulate. Corolla campanulate, deeply 5-lobed or 
-parted, lobes acute. Filaments short, free, inserted within the calyx- 
tube; anthers oblong, one 1-celled, two 2-celled ; cells flexuous 
conduplicate, rarely straight or curved, connective produced and papil- 
lose at the apex. Rudiment of ovary glandular. Female fl. : Solitary. 
Staminodes 0 or subulate or reduced to glands. Ovary ovoid or glo- 
bose ; style short, stigmas 3, sessile, 2-lobed, obtuse ; ovules many, on 
3 or 5 placentas. Fruit subglobose, cylindric, terete or paste 
smooth warted or spiny, sometimes 3-valved. Seeds many, ee 
compressed.—Annual or perennial-rooted, prostrate or climbing, beri 
or scabrid herbs. Leaves entire lobed palmate or pedate. Tenarils 
simple, sometimes reduced to spines. Flowers yellow, usually small. 
An abundant tropical African genus, the species of which are very variable indeed and 
difficult of identification. I have followed Naudin in the main in the method of here 
them, accepting his identifications and synonyms of the known species In po 
cases. I recognise two forms of seed in the genus. One lenticular elliptic-ovold, ¢ the 
pressed, quite smooth, with convex surfaces and rounded not thickened erga Puss 
other (confined to C. membranifolius and C. subsericeus) obovoid, contracted jus : 
the truncate small base, with thickened margins and depressed disk. Probably re 
division into smooth and spinous frnited is not good, for the spines vary much in num 
and size on each species. 
A. Fruit echinate spinous or tubercled. 
* Stem hispid, with long slender brittle hairs or bristles. : 
Ovary prickly. Fruit elongate, with scattered tubercles . . 1. C. sativus. 
Ovary prickly. Fruit ovoid, with long large conical processes . 2. C. metuliferus. 
Ovary tomentose. Fruit subglobose, with soft spines . 3. C.dipsaceus. } 
** Stem scabrid, with short white hairs and stout prickles. 
Leaves very scabrid, usually deeply 5-7-lobed. 
Green. Ovary aculeate. Fruit } in. densely ApINY. 20. 
Ashy white. Ovary aculeate. Fruit 14-2} in., with distant 
I re a 
Ashy white. Ovary aculeate. Fruit striped, 1 in., with soft 
SPINCS) es ce er ae ee ee 
Leaves entire or shallowly palmately lobed, not very scabrid. 
Leaves rather coriaceous, very hairy j 
Leaves very membranous, slightly hispid . 
B. Fruit smooth, glabrous or pubescent. 
Ovary villous with dense white hairs, not prickly. 
eo 
4, C. Figarei. 
5. OC. pustulatus. 
6. C. Prophetarum. 
7. C. subsericeus. 
85.0: membranifolius. 
. 
Leaves green, broad, rounded, and lobed . | . . . . . 9 @. Melo. 9 
Leaves white, very scabrid, sagittate . . . . . . . . 10. 4. sagrtiate” 
Ovary hispid, with acicular bristles . . . ... ...114 Rereiewe: 
Ovary aculeate, and also with acicular bristles . . . . . . 12. @. longipes. 
1. C. sativus, Linn. ; Naud. in Ann. Sc. Nat. sér. 4; xi. 27. mr 
nual; usually moneecious. Stem angular, sparingly branched, ra 
etioles and peduncles covered with spreading stiff hairs or bristles. 
ice: hispid, membranous, bright ereen, shortly almately = 
lobed, lobes triangular-ovate, acute or acuminate. emale Hi. : ay 
duncle stout. Ovary narrow oblong, muricate with tumid rigid pune 
prickles. Fruit very variable in length and breadth, fusiform, 
e- 
