162 American Midland Naturalist Monograph No. 7 



valleys of the Illinois, Mississippi, and Ohio rivers; also near Lake 

 Michigan. [(?) O. humifusa Ka.1.] 



80. Loasaceae Reichenb. — Loasa Family 



1. Mentzelia L. 



M. oligosperma Nutt. Stick-leaf. Bluffs, rock ledges, and hill 

 prairies, rare; western 111. near the Mississippi River from Adams to 

 Randolph counties. June- July. 



81. Cucurbitaceae B.Juss. — Gourd Family 



1. Corolla yellow, 6-15 cm long; fruit smooth; stem trailing 1. Cucurbita 



1. Corolla greenish-white, small. 



2. Fruit glabrous; seeds numerous; tendrils simple; stem glabrous 



2. Melothria 



2. Fruit prickly, 1- or few-seeded; tendrils branched. 



3. Stem and leaves glabrous; fruit an inflated usually 4-seeded pod 



dehiscing at the apex and bursting irregularly 3. Echinocystis 



3. Stem and leaves more or less pubescent; fruits indehiscent, 1 -seeded, 

 usually 3-10 together 4. Sicyos 



1. Cucurbita L. 



C. foetidissima HBK. Missoiun Gourd. Dry ground, occasional, 

 usually along railroads; adv. from west of the Mississippi R. [Pcpo 

 foetidissima (HBK.) Britt.]. 



2. Melothria L. 



M. pendula L. Creeping Cucumber. Bluffs and thickets, rare; 

 Thebes, Alexander Co., H. M. Franklin in 1949; Belle Smith Springs, 

 Pope Co., R. Thome in 1958. June-Sept. 



3. Echinocystis T. & G. — Wild Balsam-apple 

 E. lobata (Michx.) T. & G. Alluvial soil, and waste places, local. 

 July-Sept. [Micrampclis lobata (Michx.) Greene]. 



4. Sicyos L. — Bur-cucumber 



S. angulatus L. Alluvial soil, and in fields throughout III. July- 

 Sept. 



Three members of this family are occasional escapes from cult. 

 These are Cucumis sativus L., Cucvmiber; Lagcnaria vulgaris Seringe, 

 Gourd; and Citrullus vulgaris Schrad., Watermelon. 



82. Melastomaceae R.Br. — Melastoma Family 



1. Rhexia L. — Meadow-beauty 

 1. Stem 4-angled; leaves sessile; hypanthium setose; moist sand- 

 barrens, or in peaty soil, locally throughout 111. July-Sept 



- R. virginica L. 



