Cucumis. ] LXIV. CUCURBITACEX (HOOKER). 545 
6. C. Prophetarum, Zinn. ; Naud. 1.c.14. Annual. White, or ashy 
and scabrid with stiff hairs. Stem much branched from the base, 
geniculate at the nodes, angular, and petioles and peduncles clothed 
with short, white, stout, little bristles. Leaves small, 4—I]} in. broad, 
scabrid on both surfaces, subtriangular reniform or palmately 38—5- 
lobed, coriaceous ; lobes short or long, quite entire or toothed, obtuse 
or acute ; base truncate or more or less deeply cordate; petioles short 
or long, tendrils short. Male fi. : Calyx and corolla hispid. Connec- 
five produced into a linear, flat, simple or 2-fid appendage, glandular 
at the tip. Female fl.: Peduncles stout, short, covered with short, 
stout, rigid, pungent prickles. Staminodes linear. Stigmas short, 2- 
lobed. Fruit broadly ovoid, 1-14 in. long, green with pale vertical 
bands, covered with scattered, soft, slender spines. Seeds small, ¢ in. 
long, elliptic-oblong, compressed, smooth, brownish, without thickened 
Margin or depressed disk.—C. arabicus, Delile in Hort. Monsp. (ex. 
Naud.) @, amarus, Stocks. 
Pals Land. Abyssinia, Roth! Egypt, between Cosseir and Ras-Benass, Schwein- 
rth | 
Lower Guinea. Benguela and Mossamedes, on sandy sea-shores, Dr. Welwitsch ! 
A very slender and small-leaved variety. : erred 
Fruit bitter, according to Naudin. The South African representative of this is the 
., Myrvocarpus, Naud., which differs chiefly in habit and the slender pedicels and de- 
ciduous fruit. Except in its hispidity and ashy hairs, C. Prophetarum approaches ve 
Closely to the supposed American CQ. Anguria, L. All have small male flowers, wit 
Produced connectives, staminodes in the female flower, and small oblong berries striped 
green and orange and loosely set with weak spines, I should not be surprised if C. 
‘gare, pustulatus, and Prophetarum proved to belong to one species, of which C. An- 
py > @ cultivated state imported by the negroes into the West Indies (see Bot. Mag. 
CS. Subsericeus, Hovk. f. Annual, green. Stem very slender, 
Weak, sparingly branched, slightly scabrid here and there. Leaves 
small, 1-14 in, broad, broadly ovate-cordate or subreniform, palmately 
3—5-lobed ; lobes short, broad, triangular, obtuse or acute, obscurely 
toothed, covered on both sides with rather silky appressed hairs ; 
Petioles 1-11 in. Tendrils very slender. Male fl. : Small. Calyx og “i 
Anther-cells ciliate ; connective shortly produced. Female #1. : "e- 
Uncles hispid. Ovary ovoid, covered with hispid hairs. Stamens 3; 
anthers fully formed, but thin and without ella Fruit immature, 
void, 1 in. long, on a stout peduncle, covered with both slender 
tuberous-based bristles and stout, green, conical spines. Seeds rather 
narrow, white, with a stout thickened border and depressed disk. 
q Mower Guinea. Angola, Pungo Andongo, thickets in a sandy soil, Dr. Welwitsch ! 
*ry distinct-looking plant. 
P 8. C, membranifolius, Hook. f. Annual ?; flaccid, bright green. 
em slender, scabrid, suleate, sparingly branched. Leaves very mem- 
ranous, 2-24 in. in diameter, broadly ovate-cordate, palmately 5-lobed 
or angled; angles or lobes broad, triangular, acuminate, slightly 
irregularly toothed, slightly scabrid on both surfaces, basal sinus 
shallow 3 petioles longer than the blade. Male fl.: Not seen. Female 
VOL, Ir, NN 
