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Trichosanthes Anguina. Snake-Gourde 



Clafs and Order. 



Moncecia Syngenesia. 



Generic Charafier. 



Masc Cal. 5-dentatus. Cor. 5-partita, ciliata. Filam. 3. 

 FjEm. Cal. 5-dentatus. Cor. 5-partita, ciliata. Stylus 3-fidus. 

 Pomum oblong um. 



Specific Characler and Synonyms. 



TRICHOSANTHES anguina; pomis teretibus oblongis in- 



curvis. Hort. Cliff. 450. Sp. PL 1432. 

 Hort. Kew. 3. p. 379. Reich. 4. p. 199. 



ANGUINA finenfis, flore albo elegantiflimo, fructu oblongo 



intorto. Mich. Gen. 12. /. 9. Mill. Ic* 

 21. /. 32. 



CUCURBITA finenfis, fruftu longo anguino vario flore can- 

 dido capillamentis tenuiflimis ornato, 

 till. Dif. 49. /. 22. Sabbat. Hort. Rom. 

 1. /. 71. 



The Snake-Gourd is a native of China, where its fruit is 

 eaten. Was introduced into Europe about the year 1720, and 

 feems at firft to have attracted confiderable attention from the 

 Angularity of its fringed flowers and fnake-fhaped fruit, which 

 laft is alfo curious from the rapidity of its growth. Was culti- 

 vated by Miller in Chelfea Garden, in the year 1755, whopub- 

 lifhed a figure of it, but not to be compared with that of Mich e li. 

 Like many other annuals which excite but a fhort lived cu- 

 riofity, this plant foon difappeared, and perhaps there are few 

 perfons now that have ever feen it in this country, though it 

 will produce ripe feeds with us if fown on a hotbed early in 

 the Spring and treated in the fame manner as cucumbers and 

 melons. 



Our drawing was taken at Meflrs. Whitley and Brame's, 

 Old Brompton, where it was raifed from feeds fent over by 

 the amiable Lady of Sir Henry Gwillim, one of the Judges 

 of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Madras, whofe pencil 

 delineates fubje£ls of Natural Hiftory with unufual elegance 

 and accuracy. 



