﻿of the Southeastern United States. 483 



i. Melothria Nashii. 



Perennial, slender, rough-pubescent. Stems trailing and 

 creeping, 3-12 dm. long, branched, angled: leaves fleshy, sub- 

 orbicular or triangular-ovate in outline, 2-3.5 cm - broad, usually 

 5-lobed, very rough on the surfaces, the lobes entire or with 

 1-2 teeth or small lobes ; petioles hispid, about as long as the 

 blades : flowers monoecious, the sterile in long-peduncled corymbs, 

 the fertile on solitary long peduncles : calyx campanulate, minutely 

 hispid ; teeth triangular, acute, several times shorter than the 

 tube : corolla-segments longer and narrower than the calyx -teeth : 

 stamens included ; anthers pubescent at the tips, nearly sessile : 

 berries globose, 12-15 mm - * n diameter, their peduncles about 

 3 cm. long. 



In sandy soil about Tampa, Florida. Nash, no. 2469. 



2. Melothria crassifolia. 



Perennial, with tuberous-thickened roots, rough- pubescent. 

 Stems trailing and creeping, 6-15 dm. long, branched throughout, 

 angled, sparingly pubescent : leaves thick and fleshy, reniform or 

 orbicular-reniform, 2-4 cm. broad, usually with 5 rounded obtuse 

 lobes, which are undulate or shallowly toothed, cordate, the sinus 

 closed or nearly closed ; petioles hispid, about as long as the blades : 

 flowers monoecious, the sterile in long-peduncled racemes, the 

 fertile solitary on long peduncles : calyx campanulate, minutely 

 hispid ; teeth triangular- ovate, much shorter than the tube, acute : 

 anthers glabrous, nearly sessile: berries oblong, 1.5-2 cm. long. 



In moist places about Eustis, Florida. Nash, no. 865. 



3. Melothria pendula L. Sp. PI. 35- l 753- 



Annual or perennial, slender, sparingly pubescent. Stems 

 high-climbing, branched : leaves thin, drying membranous, sub- 

 orbicular or ovate in outline, 3-8 cm. broad, with 3-5 angular 

 usually shallowly toothed lobes, both surfaces pubescent with 

 short hairs, cordate, the sinuses open; petioles 1-3.5 cm long, 

 hispid : flowers monoecious ; sterile racemed ; fertile solitary, the pe- 

 duncles about as long as the petioles : calyx glabrous or puberu- 

 lent, 2 mm. long ; tube campanulate, teeth very short : corolla yel- 

 low or greenish-white, 3-4 mm. broad, pubescent without, the 

 segments ovate or ob ovate : berries oblong or oval, 10-25 mm. 

 long, pendulous, dark-purple or blackish: seeds obovoid, 3.5- 

 4 mm. long, flattened. 



In swamps and light soil, Pennsylvania to Missouri, south to 



Florida, Texas, and Mexico. 



