562 LXIV. CUCURBITACEZ (HOOKER). | Mukia. 
Lower Guinea. Angola, Dr. Welwitsch! 
Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper! Dillon! Schweinfurth! Nile banks, Grant! 
Mozamb. Distr. Shire, &., Dr. Kirk! 
The only species of the genus found in Natal, and an abundant Indian plant. 
30. MELOTHRIA, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. i. 830. 
Flowers generally monecious. Male: Racemose or cymose, jointed 
on the peduncle. Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed. Corolla 5-partite. 
Filaments 3, rarely 5, short, free, inserted within the calyx-tube; 
anthers free or slightly cohering, entire or 2-partite, one 1-celled, two 
2-celled, rarely all 2-celled, cells straight, connective usually produced, 
simple or 2-fid. Rudiment of ovary globose or annular. Female fl. : 
Solitary, usually on a long capillary peduncle. Staminodes 8, some- 
times antheriferous. Ovary ovoid globose or fusiform, acute or obtuse; 
style short, inserted in an annular disk; stigmas 3, linear, dilated or 
capitate, 2-lobed; ovules many on 38 placentas. Berry small, on 4 
capillary peduncle, ovoid fusiform or beaked. Seeds many, rarely few, 
flattened ; testa coriaceous.—Usually slender prostrate or climbing 
tropical herbs. Leaves entire lobed or palmatisect. Tendrils simple, 
capillary. Flowers small, white or yellow. 
Stem in all the African species very slender, deeply grooved, with green ribs. 
Leaves deltoid or 3-lobed. Berry narrow fusiform . . . . . 1. triductyla. 
Leaves deltoid, with acute angles. Berry globose . . . . . 2. Jl. triangular. 
Leaves deltoid, with obtuse angles, Berry globose , . . . .. 3. DL. deltoidea. 
Leaves cordate. Berry globose ........ =... 4 MM. cordifols. 
1. M. tridactyla, Hook.f. Glaucous. Stems and branches smooth 
or scabrid, ultimate capillary. Leaves 14-4 in. broad, green, U1 
angular in outline, 3-lobed ; lobes narrow or broad, the lateral place 
at right angles with the middle one which is the longest, all obtuse oF 
acute, apiculate, almost quite entire, scabrid above, glabrous or scabri 
on the nerves beneath ; petioles short or long, sometimes hispid. Male 
fl.: Peduncles capillary. Calyx shortly campanulate. Corolla 4 12 
diameter, yellow. Filaments very short; anthers oblong, all 2-celled, 
cells parallel, ciliate; connective produced. Female #. : Peduncles 
j-2in. Ovary very slender, long-beaked. Style slender. Fruit fusiform, 
3-1 in. long, beaked at both ends. Seeds lenticular, 7 in- long, P®® 
brown.—, Thwaitesii, Schweinf. Relig. Kotschy. 44, t. 29, excl. sy 
and description of fruit. 
Lower Guinea. Anzola, shady places, Golungo Alto, Dr. Welwitsch! Cong 
Burton! = 
Mozamb. Distr. Shupanga, Dr. Kirk! 
Capillary, leafless, axillary branches often bear both male and female flowers, and re 
semble peduncles. The young leaves are triangular, as in If. triangularis, but 70 
toothed as in that plant. Also found in Johanna Island. 
: Schweinturth refers this to M, deltoidea, Thw., of Ceylon (not Benth.), 
differs widely 1u the ripe fruit. 
from which it 
2. M. triangularis, Benth. Fl. Nigrit. 367. Stems and branches 
capillary, glabrous ciliate or scabrid. Leaves membranous, 1-3 ™ 
