192 CUC URBITA CEAE 



stipules, shoots, flower-stalks or organs sui generis." According to 

 Muller (Nat. Pfl.} the tendrils of Cncurbita Pepo, with their frequent 

 abnormalities, give a proof of their true nature. Every variety is 

 found, from simple threads to long leafy tendrils, in which the 1. show 

 all transitions to tendrils. Muller, therefore, considers the twining 

 portion of the tendril to be a met. 1. , the lower stiff portion a stem. 

 The tendrils of C. are very sensitive and show very well all the 

 phenomena of tendril-climbing. 



Fls. diclinous, rarely 5 , in infls. of various types (see Nat. Pfl., 

 or Eichler, Bluthendia.gr.). K and C typically (5) each, reg. ; A 

 typically 5, but great var. is introduced by cohesions, &c.; it is 

 almost always [ . In Fevillea we find ~, sta. with biloc. anthers, the 

 simplest type ; it is noteworthy that the usual 4-loc. anther never 

 occurs in C., and no trace of the missing loc. is to be found in either 

 lobe of the anther of Fevillea. In the rest of the fam. the A is more 

 complex. In Thladiantha two pairs of sta. stand apart from the 

 fifth sta. In Sicydium these pairs show union of their members at 

 the base, and in others the union is more complete, until, as in 

 Bryonia, &c., the A apparently has only 3 sta., of which 2 have 

 4-loc. anthers due to unions. The more the sta. depart from the 

 simple type the more curved do the loculi of the anthers become, 

 till in Cucurbita, &c. the pollen-sacs are twisted in a most extra- 

 ordinary manner (cf. Columellia). In Cyclanthera the sta. are all 

 united into a column with two ring-shaped pollen_chambers running 

 round the top (cf. the flow ers of Cyclanthus). G i io-loc. , with 

 i oo anatr. ov. in each loc. ; the most common type is, however, 

 a 3-loc. ovary with axile plac. projecting deep into the cavity. 

 Stigmas as many as cpls., usually forked. Fr. usu. fleshy, of the 

 type of the melon or cucumber berry-like, sometimes called a pepo. 

 Seeds exalb. In Zanonia, Ecballium, Cyclanthera, &c. (q.v.), the 

 mode of seed-dispersal is interesting. Several have ed. fr. , e.g. 

 Cucurbita, Cucumis, Sechium, Lagenaria, &c. 



The relationships of this fam. have been much disputed. It has 

 been placed near Passifloraceae, Loasaceae and Begoniaceae, but 

 most probably it comes near to the Campanulaceae. 



Classification and chief genera (after Pax) : 



A. Pollen-sacs not fused into a ring. 



a. Sta. free or only united at base. 



i. Ftvilleeae (sta. 5, rarely 4) : Fevillea, Zanonia, Thladiantha. 

 i. Melothrieae (sta. 3, rarely i or 4; pollen-sacs straight or 

 slightly curved): Melothria, Telfairia. 



3. Ciicurbiteae (do., but pollen-sacs S or U shaped): Acan- 

 thosicyos, Momordica, Luffa, Bryonia, Ecballium, Cucumis, 

 Lagenaria, Trichosanthes, Cucurbita. 



b. Sta. united into a column. 



4. Sicyoideae: Echinocystis, Sechium, Sicyos. 



B. Pollen-sacs fused into a ring. 



5. Cydanthereae: Cyclanthera (only genus). 

 Cucurbitaceous, gourd-like. 



Cucurbitales (EP.). The pth order of Dicots. Sympetalae. 

 Cucurbitella Walp. Cucurbitaceae (2). 4 temp. S. Am. 



