The American Botanist 



VOL. XII. 



JOLIET, ILL., FEBRUARY, 1907. 



No. 1 



SQUASHES AND GOURDS 



BY DR. W. W. BAILEY. 



WITH the possible exception of maize or Indian corn, no 

 plant has received so much attention from the botanical 

 histologist as pumpkin or squash (Cucurbita Pepo). Its 

 ready accessibility, ready and rapid growth, life confined at 

 most to a few months, and hence quickly exhibiting its com- 

 plete history from seed to fruit, make it especially attractive 

 to the student. It is easily sectioned for gross work, and 

 its flowers, too, are interesting. These show a very curious 

 circumflex anther, resulting from the coalescence of several. 

 The plants are monoecious, and the pistillate flower can al- 

 ways be distinguished by the projecting ovary beneath. 



Besides the various squashes, pumpkins and vegetable- 

 marrows (sacred to Mrs. Nickleby!), there are many related 

 plants. The larger family assemblage embraces gourds, mel- 

 ons in all their varieties, the cool, refreshing cucumber, 

 adopted as a type of moral and physical calm and indifference ; 

 the wild balsam-apple (Echinocystis lobata), that beautiful 

 nuisance so abundant about our cities, and its cousin, the 

 star-cucumber (Sicyos angulatus), equally prevalent and very 

 unsightly, and in Europe the pretty bryonia twining or climb- 

 ing over copses. 



All the squash family are climbers or trailers — plants 

 which in football terms, succeed by "going round the ends" — 

 or by strategic passes not requiring physical strength. "Those 

 also serve," in the struggle for life, who take advantage of 

 every opportunity to advance. When they possess tendrils, 

 they are opposite to the leaves and hence usually regarded as 

 attenuated stem axes, the main growth being continued by a 



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