Cucumis. MONOEcrA syngenesia. 721 



Tbe fruit is much eaten both by natives and Europeans; 

 when young they are a good substitute for the common cu- 

 cumber, and when ripe (after bursting spontaneously,) with 

 the addition of a little sugar they are little inferior to the 

 melon, and reckoned very wholesome. 



5. C. ntilhsiimi!t. Roxh. 



Leaves live-lobed ; lobes rounded, and toothletted. Flow- 

 ers axillary ; the male flowers crowded ; ihejhnale solitary. 

 Fruit short-oval, smooth, variegated, of the size of a small 

 melon. 



Teling. Dosray. 



Beng. Kakri. 



An annual, a native of the higher cultivated lands, but ge- 

 nerally found in a cultivated state; the cold season is the 

 most favourable. 



Stems exactly as in C. sativns, but not quite so extensive. 

 Tendrils simple. Leaves broad-cordate, generally more or 

 less five-lobed ; lobes rounded, toothletted ; above pretty 

 smooth, below scabrous, the largest generally about six 

 inches each w ay. Floral leaves of the female flowers sessile, 

 and very small. Male flowers axillary, peduncled, crowd- 

 ed, but opening in succession. Female flowers axil- 

 lary, peduncled, solitary, both sorts yellow, about an inch 

 or an inch and a half in diameter. Fruit fleshy, generally a 

 very perfect oval ; when young downy and clouded with 

 lighter and darker green ; when ripe perfectly smooth, varie- 

 gated with deeper and lighter yellow ; from four to six inches 

 long, and from three to four in diameter. 



This appears to me to be by far the most useful species of 

 Cucumis that I know ; when little more than one half grown, 

 they are oblong, and a little downy, in this state they are 

 pickled ; when ripe they are about as large as an ostrich's 

 egg, smooth and yellow ; when cut they have much the flavor 

 of the melon and will keep good for several months, if 

 carefully gathered without being bruised and hung up ; they 

 VOL. III. *M 



