GROSSULACE^. 142 



5. CUCU'RBITA. 

 Flowers monoecious. Sterile Jl. — Calyx Stoothed ; corolla 

 S-fid , filaments 5, in 3 sets. Fertile f. — Calyx 5-toothed ; 

 corolla 5-fid ; ovary 3-fid ; fruit (pepo) with seeds thickened 

 at the margin. 



This is a Latin word of the same origin as cucumis, and signifies a vessel, 

 in allusion to the well known use of the gourd. 



1. C. lagena'ria. 



Leaves cordate, roundish-obtuse, pubescent, denticulate, with 2 glands be- 

 neath at the hast; fruit clavate, somewhat woody. From India. Flowers 

 white. Calabash. Bottle-gourd, 



2. C. Pepo. 



Leaves cordate, obtuse, about 5-lobed, denticulate ; fruit roundish or oblong, 

 smooth. The pumpkin (more properly pompion) is from the Levant. Pumpkin. 



3. C. Citru'llus. 



Leaves 5-lobed, lobes sinuate, pinnatifid, ohiMse; fruit elliptical, smooth. 

 From S. Europe. Water-melon. 



4. C. ovi'fera. 



Leaves cordate, angular, 5-lobed, denticulate, downy ; fruit obovate, striped 

 with lines lengthwise. iSative of Astrecan. Egg Squash, 



5. C. VERRUCO'SA. 



Leaves cordate, deeply 5-lobed, the middle lobe narrowed at base ; fruit cXa.- 

 vate, verrucose. Native country unknown. Club Squash. 



6. C. Melope'po. 



Leaves cordate, obtuse, about 5-loben, denticulate ; fruit large, torulose tu- 

 mid at the margin. JNative country unknown. Flat Squash. 



ORDER LXI. GROSSULACEiE. The Gooseberry Tribe. 



Coi.— Superior, 4 — 5-cleft, regular, colored, marescent, imbricate in estivation. 



Cor.— Petals inserted in tlie throat of the calyx, small, distinct, as many as sepals. 



Sta. — As many as petals and alternate with them, very short ; anthers inlrorse. 



Ooa. — One-celled, with 2 parietal placentas ; ovules numerous ; styles 3. 



Fr. — A 1-oelled berry (the cell filled with pulp) crowned with the remains ol'the flower. 



Sds. — Anatropous, the embryo minute, radicle next the micropyle. 



A small order of shrubs either spiny or unarmed, with alternate-lobed leaves. Flowers 

 in axilku-y racemes. The gooseberries and currents are natives of the N. temperate zone 

 of both continents, but unknown in the tropics or S. hemisphere, except S. America. 



Properlies. — 'J'he berries contain a swi^et, mucilag-inous pulp, together with malic or citric 

 Sicid. They are always wholesome and usually esculent. 



RIBES. 

 Character the same as that of the Order. 



An Arabic n3.nje of uncertain etymology, applied to the Rheum ribeg. 



