354 PERIPETALEA. 
ORDER CIIL 
CUCURBITACE. 
Cuaractrers.— Herbs, with climbing succulent stems, 
twining, or with tendrils ; leaves alternate, petiolated, simple, 
often deeply divided, and covered with numerous minute 
tubercles; flowers generally monecious, occasionally her- 
maphrodite ; calyx monosepalous, of 5 teeth; corolla of 5 
petals, or monopetalous of 5 lobes; stamens 5, inserted in 
the base of the corolla, sometimes distinct, sometimes united, 
(4 in 2 parcels and 1 free, or monadelphous) ; anthers long ; 
ovary inferior, with a short simple or trifid style, terminated 
by 3 thick glandular stigmas, 1-celled, (rarely 1-seeded), 
with 6 or many seeds, attached to 3 parietal placentae: pert- 
carp a pepo (rarely dry and dehiscent), with the seeds scat- 
tered in a pulpy matter, and surmounted by the calyx; seeds 
compressed, with a crustaceous integument, no albumen, 
and an arillus. 
ExampLe.—Cucumber (Cueumis sativus). 
Economica Prorerties.—The pulpy matter found in 
the fruit of most of the plants in this family is wholesome -— 
and often very nutritious, and may be turned te good account 
as an article of food, or as a pickle. The Melon or Can- 
taloupe, so much prized as a dessert fruit, is obtained from 
the Cucumis Melo; the common Cucumber is the fruit of — 
the Cueumis sativus. Besides these, we have the Pompion 
( Cucurbita pepo) , the Water- Melon (C. sitrullus), the Squash- 
- Gourd (C. melopepo), the Warted Gourd (C. verrucosa), — 
the Bottle Gourd (C. Lagenaria), the Orange Gourd (C. — 
: gto, and the Vegetable Marrow Gourd Gs succado). 
aS Propertizs.—All these fruits are more or 
: bitter and aperient ; in some of this en 
